


When will you learn that your actions have consequences?

by sketzocase



Category: Deadpool (Comics), Weapon X - Fandom, Wolverine (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: F/M, For like- a week, Graphic Description, Medical Experimentation, Modern Setting, Non Cannon Compliant, Non graphic smut, Poor Life Choices, Slightly Underage, Torture, Violence, Weapon X Project, Weapon X revisioning, X-men intervetion, teenage pregnancy (sorta), there will be babies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 17:00:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14773589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sketzocase/pseuds/sketzocase
Summary: Logan and Wade are... surviving teenagehood. As much as they can living with a single mother and no cash. The only catch is that Wade is sorta kinda maybe dying. And Logan wants to do everything within his power to help. However, in rash of poorly thought out decisions, he ends up biting off more than he can chew. But hey- there’s a pretty girl or two involved. It can’t be all bad? Right???





	1. Lizzie and the great Canadian Moose incident

**Author's Note:**

> Eh- I’ve posted this a few times and taken it down from lack of response. But god I got this in my head to edit the other day- and fuck it, I want to post it. 
> 
> Experimenting on mutants in a theme, weapon x is a theme, everything’s being reimagined.  
> Scott Summers will probably show up as a bit of a dick. (Sue me. I can’t help it). Logan’s mother is still alive. It’s in modern times. Graphic depictions of violence. 
> 
> And oh yea- there’s literally eight fucking chapters already written. So... I’m just gonna mass post them all. 
> 
> And... if you can read from the tags- I want to include a baby Daken. Which y’all knew was coming when I said “Pregnancy” and “Itsu” in the same tag line. 
> 
> I’m a sucker for baby Daken. Can’t help it. 
> 
> Watch the tags up here for trigger warnings. 
> 
> But mainly it’s just a whole lot of violence. There will be torture and more disturbing things, but there’s no non/con, and there’s no major character death. 
> 
> So... yea take that as you will.

Elizabeth Hudson had seen a lot in her 47 years of life. A lot of hardships. A lot of sorrows.   
She prided herself on being pretty much prepared for anything. Anything, that is, besides the police showing up at her a door (Again) with her seventeen-year-old in tow.

That on its own is not weird. Lord knows James has had his share of run-ins with the law.   
It’s more the story that follows him, this time. 

“A… moose?” she stammers. 

She can’t fathom where the boys would have had to go to find one. Or how long it took them to corral it. If that’s what they did. It sounds to her more like they just nudged it in the direction they wanted it to go and called it a day. 

Elizabeth is not immune to their shenanigans. She’s cold to them- yes. But not completely immune. There are still a few that shock her from time to time. Things that make her scratch her head in a perplexed state of awe. 

There’s no doubt that if the boys wanted to- if they could put forth their efforts into something more worth while than causing chaos- they could do great things. 

“Yes, ma'am.” 

“A full grown moose?”   
One of the boys in front of her smiles. The other stares her dead in the eyes as if daring her to say something to him. 

She can see that James is going to be his usually difficult self. 

She knows that getting him to talk to her- especially after being dragged home by the police- will be all but impossible. 

She also knows it’s inevitable- but she doesn’t feel like going another round with him. She knows he needs discipline- especially since he’s on the cusp of adulthood and has little to no regards for the laws or societal norms. 

When he was younger- his willfulness was endearing in its own way. 

Now that he’s older- Elizabeth sees it as nothing but a pain. She knows it wouldn’t kill him to behave. Or follow the rules. 

But short of Devine intervention- she fears nothing will get through to him. Nothing. 

“And a truck.” The tall, tanned, policeman with the mustache replies. “In the swimming pool.” 

“James…” The teenager is beside another boy, roughly about the same age. “And… Wade.” Elizabeth sighs. “What were you thinking?” 

“You know this one?” The cop raises an eyebrow. 

“I do.” Elizabeth straightens her robe trying to hide her cleavage from prying eyes. Being a single mother is hard. She doesn’t need any men snooping around when she’s got so much work to handle and so many secrets to keep. She refuses to give any man any inkling of a notion that she would be sending him signals.   
Most especially not a cop. 

“You know where I can find his parents?” the cop speaks in monotone. A boring man. “He won’t even tell us his name. His real name at any rate. I refuse to believe that he’s “Ben Aflleck”. It’s too convenient.” 

This cop is new. 

Most of the others know Wade by sight. They know to connect him with James which inevitably connects him to her.   
Elizabeth wonders how the two boys even got caught by him. They’ve gotten better at getting away with their stunts here lately. 

“His father is out of town. He’s staying with us.” she says dismissively. It’s a lie she’s told about fifty times at this point. Some people still recognized her married name- though she doesn’t use it. They think that denotes class. And class has it’s privileges. Even if those means are underhanded and dirty- it keeps Wade in her possession. Which she finds most appealing.   
She’ll be damned if she ever gave that boy back to his father.   
It’s not like the man was missing his child. Or that he even liked him, to begin with. 

After losing John… well, the house really wasn’t the same without two boys in it. 

James seemed partial to having his friend around. He begged her to take him in.   
It was a sort of plea bargain between the two of them. A ‘don’t go after his father on your own’ sort of deal. James is known for taking things into his own hands. Elizabeth is more than horrified at the fact that most of the time he can pull that off.   
But he is a child- still. Children should not hold that kind of power… or that way of thinking. He’s more like his actual father than she cares to admit. 

“I see. And his name is,” He looks at his notes. “Wade?” 

“It’s Ben.” Wade assures you. “I’m rich. This is my summer home.” 

“Wade- enough.” Elizabeth growls. 

“You’re right.” He says. “I’ve changed my mind. My name is Oprah.” 

The cop is obviously not assumed. 

“Do you want to spend tonight in jail- Wade?” He asks. 

Wade scratches his chin. “Do they have cable there? We don’t have cable.” 

“No.” The cop says flatly. 

“Shame.” Wade crosses his arms. “I think I’ll be staying.” 

“Then watch your mouth.” He says firmly. 

“He’ll behave.” Elizabeth says pointedly. “You have my word officer. They’ll stay in the house.” 

The cop straightens himself. “Well, ma’am, there’s minor damage to the school. No one got hurt. The owner of the truck may have some words- “ Elizabeth leans around him and looks in her driveway. “No, they won’t.” she sighs. “it was our truck.” 

“I see.” The man looks between the boys. “You two should really be careful when messing with the wildlife. That was a wild animal. You could have been hurt.” 

“But we weren’t.” The black haired boy growls. “We were fine until you showed up.” 

“You did scare it,” Wade adds.   
“James. Wade.” Elizabeth snaps. “Quiet.” 

“Be that as it may.” The cop gives the two boys a shove. “Keep ‘em inside for the night.” he orders. “The principal will be calling in the morning. I’m sure there’ll be some kind of suspension.” 

Elizabeth nods. “Of course there will.” She eyes her son with a righteous sort of anger.   
He seems cool and disinterested. 

When the boys enter the home- the smaller home (Since John’s passing, and John jr.’s untimely death, there hasn’t been a lot of money around), she snaps the door shut behind them. 

“Before you say anything-“ 

“Stop.” she holds a hand up. “James, stop.” 

“Lizzie-“ “Wade- stop.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know what to do with the two of you. I don’t know where to start!” She tries to arrange her thoughts into a logical order. “A moose? In the school?” She glares at the boys. “Where did you get a moose??” 

“Found it.” James leans against the wall. 

“Found it? Why were you out where you could find a moose?” 

“I was bored.” he defends. “Shit happens.” 

“How did you get into the school in the first place??” 

James extends a single claw.   
The sight still makes her shudder.   
“Put those away.” she snaps. “Were there cameras? Did you let anyone or anything see you?” 

He shakes his head. “I don’t know what you’re so worried about.” 

“People like mutants, James.” she snaps. “They like them a lot.” 

“And what- you’re worried I’ll be kidnapped?” he snorts. “I’d like to see them try.” 

“We moved from our last home because you used them on-“ “If that man didn’t want stabbed then he shouldn’t have laid a hand on you,” James growls. 

“James- please.” Elizabeth begs, “We cannot move again. Do you understand that? I have absolutely no money left. None. We cannot afford to move because of your…..” She flounders for words. “Inability to control yourself!” 

James inhales deeply. “It was a joke. No one got hurt.” 

“It wasn’t funny!” she snaps. “And they’re asking about Wade. How do you think they’ll take it if they learn we’re harboring a runaway??? Do you want them to take him home?”

“No thank you.” Wade pipes in. 

Elizabeth glares at him. “And you’re not innocent either.” she berates. “Don’t think you’re off the hook just because I haven’t gotten to you yet.” 

Wade looks down at his muddy boots. “Sorry, Lizzie.” 

She glares at him. “Wade, do you understand that if you get in trouble with the law- you will go to jail?” 

“Yep.” 

“And you did it anyway?” 

“Yep.” 

“And you are aware of your health concerns-“ “He’s fine.” James snaps. “Don’t go there. He’s fine.” 

“He is sick, James. You can’t be dragging him off on your little…” she stammers over her words, “Adventures!” 

“He’s not sick!” James yells. 

“I’m a little sick,” Wade whispers. 

James glares at him.   
Elizabeth pities her son. He’s lost so many friends already at his young age.. and he has such a hard time making them. He’s not ready to let Wade go.   
Even though the prognosis is dreary. The outcome is bleak. And there’s really nothing that can be done. No treatments in the country are able to handle his disease. None of them. There’s other countries they’ve tried- of course- but that costs money. They’ve been told about some treatments in the US but one treatment without health insurance is well over several thousands of dollars. And they‘d have to go across the boarder... she doubts Wade has a passport. Or that she could get him one without any of his official paperwork that his horror of a father still has in his possession. 

Even if they could afford one of the more expensive treatments- she’s been told it wouldn’t change the outcome.   
Wade’s starting to show signs of his illness.   
It seems unfair… for someone so young. 

Part of her knows this is something her son will have to get used to. She hates it for him… and wishes that that wasn’t his lot in life. But she knows just how long his life expectancy ranges. Far longer than hers. Far longer than Wade’s. Far longer than anyone he’s ever going to meet. Eventually, he’ll have to face the fact that his friends, family members, lovers, and so and so on- will die. In front of him. It’s just something that’ s going to happen.   
She doesn’t take this lightly. 

“He’s sick.” she says finally. “And you’d do well to remember it.” 

“He’s getting better.”   
“That’s not how cancer works.” Elizabeth reminds him, again. “You can’t will this away just because the two of you don’t want it to be there.” 

She tried to find a mutant who could- she admits. To this date- there isn’t one.   
She feared to press the issue least it lead to any unwanted attention.   
James is a very interesting mutant- after all. Very, very interesting. She knows her father thought the same thing about John. In the worst possible of ways. She hates the thought of having to impart upon her child this paranoid need to protect himself. Especially when he seems to not care in the slightest. 

“It was a prank,” James repeats from earlier. Once again changing the conversation entirely. “No one got hurt. Everything’s fine. Mr. dick head-“ “Principal Everest.” Elizabeth sighs.   
“Will kick us out for a few days. Or forever. Who cares?”   
“I care!” she pats her chest in little harder than intended. “I care, James!”

God only knows what she could have done with an education. Instead of marrying rich. 

“I’m not like you.” he growls. “I don’t want it.” 

“You will graduate from highschool in the very least.” she orders. “It’s non-negotiable.” 

“Not if I get kicked out.” he snorts.   
“IF you get kicked out then I will homeschool you.” she threatens- not for the first time. 

“Good luck with that.” Wade snorts. 

“Wade- shut it.” she turns to him, pointing. “You’re in it just as much as he is. The two of you will graduate if I have to drag you to that school kicking and screaming.” 

James glares at her. 

She refuses to back down. Not this time. “I’m serious.” she says, remaining unflinching in the face of his teenaged rebellion. 

“I know you are.” he says finally. 

“No more pranks.” she orders. “No more adventures. No more ‘accidents’. No more…. whatever you run off and do at night.” 

James crosses his arms. “If you don't know what I’m doing- how can you tell me to stop?” 

Elizabeth counts to twenty and sighs. “I understand that the two of you are bored. You’re smart kids. You’re adventurous. This isn’t like the manner where you could run off and do what you wanted.” 

“Nope.” James drawls. “Sure ain't.” 

“Isn’t.” Elizabeth corrects. “Isn’t James.” 

“Sure isn’t.” He pronounces snottily. 

The black haired boy couldn’t be more different than her. Elizabeth finds she just can’t relate to her son. Not like she used to. Not like before. 

“You’ll both apologize to the principal tomorrow.” she orders, crossing her arms over her purple robe. “Both of you.” she restates. 

“For what?” James asks. “Playing a joke?” 

“It wasn’t a ‘joke’ James!” Elizabeth snaps. “Jokes aren’t supposed to cause property damage. I don’t even want to know how you got that truck to move.” 

“I fixed it.” he says dismissively. 

“You….” Elizabeth throws her hands up. “If you would use your talents for something productive- something that would keep you out of trouble- you would go so much further in life!”

“Oh, I’m sorry I’m not ‘using my talents’ to your specifications!” he yells. 

“James-“ “I’m going to bed.” he storms through the house, stopping at the liquor cabinet. “ It’s locked,” Elizabeth growls. 

James snarls extend one of his claws- the damned things- and pops the lock.   
“It’s also empty,” Elizabeth says crisply. 

“Good to know.”   
“You drink too much.” she informs for the millionth time. “And you’re underage.” 

“For like a year.” he snorts. 

“It’s still illegal.” she growls. 

“Helps me sleep.” He lets the lock fall to the floor and walks through the doorway that leads to the back of the house. 

Elizabeth is left with Wade, who looks at her cautiously. 

“The moose wasn’t his idea. I got it from the internet.” Wade says after a a moment.

“I figured as much. He’d do something a little more… underhanded.” 

“Snakes,” Wade says with a nod. “He wanted to use snakes.”   
“For what??” she’s floored, once again. 

“Bro code,” Wade says simply.   
Elizabeth absolutely hates that ‘code’ Wade’s invented. He keeps secrets from her. She can’t stand it. 

“I told him there was no way I was spending all evening catching snakes.”   
“Where would you even-“ she stops. “You two are in those woods again.” she turns on the boy. “Aren’t you??’ 

“Bro code.” he repeats with a shrug. 

“Bro code my foot.” she crosses her arms. “Wade- you need to be-“ “Careful, ya I got it. I’m a delicate flower.” he grins. 

“It’s not funny.” she snaps.   
“It’s a little funny.” he continues to smile. 

“Wade- I don’t know how you could possibly be-“ “Not thinking about my fragile mortality?” he interrupts. “I don’t like to think about it. I’d rather be hunting Moose. Moosi. Mosse’s?” 

“Moose. The plural of moose is ‘moose’.” she sighs. 

“Ya well whatever it is, it’s better than thinking about the “Big C”.” 

“The two of you could have gotten yourselves killed.” 

“Well… me killed.” he leans forward and whispers. “Not Logan. You know. Extra gene.” 

“X- gene.” she corrects. “Not Extra gene.” 

“Whatever.” he laughs. “Could come in handy right about now.” 

“I want you to be careful.” she says far more gently than her previous statements. “Please, Wade. You know your time is limited. I want you to be taking care of yourself and-“ 

“I know I know.” 

“I want him to be careful.” she continues. “He’s in far more danger than he realizes in today’s world. People don’t like mutants.” 

“People don’t like Logan in general.” Wade grins. 

She refuses to call him by that name. Too much like Thomas if she’s being honest. She thinks he picked the name to torment her. 

Elizabeth sighs, “Wade if you could please get through to him-“ 

“Logan’s stubborn,” Wade says, biting at one of his nails. “He doesn’t want to listen right now.” 

“And when will he? When he’s locked up in a jail cell??” 

Wade shrugs. “Hopefully not- I mean…. blame society okay?” he says when he notices her looking down. “It’s not your fault.” 

No. It’s his father’s fault. 

No that’s wrong. It is her fault. 

Her not being able to control her own desires. The affair. The night everything went to shit. Thomas. All of it. Elizabeth firmly blames herself. 

And James…. well she knows where his gifts come from. It’s not like the men of her family haven’t been exhibiting… unnatural abilities for the past few centuries.   
All of them. Different. Mutants. 

And people like to use mutants for a variety of things. Horror stories she’s heard from various sources that her son refuses to entertain or even acknowledge. 

“The moose is okay,” Wade says obliviously. “In case you’re worried.” 

“Yes, Wade.” she turns to the blonde. “I’m worried about the moose.” 

He nods. “We didn’t hurt it.” 

“Where is the truck?” she doesn’t know why she’s asking. 

“Flipped over in the swimming pool.” 

“Did you wreck it with the two of you inside of it??” 

“No,” Wade assures. “We jumped out.” 

“Why…”she stops. “I don’t care.” She decides. “Wade- go to bed. I want both of you up before seven. We’re going to the school.” 

Wade nods. “Okay.” 

“Tell him that he will be there whether he wants to be or not.” she insists. 

“Yup.” Wade walks past her. “Will do.” 

She nods, crossing her arms and looking around the empty house.   
Her furniture? Gone. The house is composed of two bedrooms, one and a half baths, a pathetically small kitchen, and a living room with water damaged carpet. 

Different from the Manor. Different from the house she grew up in. 

Not where she envisioned raising her family- what little is left of it.   
She could call her father…. but seeing how he reacted to John…. she fears what he’d do if he saw James using his ‘gifts’…. even after she’s repeatedly told him not to. 

She sighs into the room. 

There’s nothing more she can do… no matter how much she wants to. 

She can’t make him care. She can’t make him cautious. She can’t put these well-placed fears into him. 

She has never been able to.   
Since he discovered that damn healing trick- he’s acted like he’s invincible. And maybe he is. Elizabeth has seen him heal from some nasty breaks and cuts.   
He doesn’t think. He doesn’t rationalize. He’s throwing himself into this messed up world with little care as to where he lands and what will happen. 

Tonight, like many nights before, Elizabeth goes to bed shaking.


	2. Wade and the “big C”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk of Cancer and death. 
> 
> But hey- it’s Deadpool. At least that parts cannon?

Part of having ‘the big C’ is that some days you feel fine and some days you don’t.   
Today was one of those ‘not so great’ days. 

It started with vomit. It always starts with vomit. 

Wade has been up since three. He’d started off trying to move back and forth between the bedroom and the bathroom but eventually ended up curled up at the foot of the toilet with his bare back pressed against the cold tiles. 

He’s taken a few hours to think of things. Like what songs he wants played at his funeral. Something light and not too heavy. Definitely nothing religious. He won’t stand for it. If he’s going to spend the rest of days in some kind of hell- he wants the music to reflect that. He also decided that his funeral should have some sort of dress code. Women and men alike- barely dressed. No matter how cold it is. He’s talking something like those ‘heroes’ on TV wear. Like the chick from Alpha Flight. He lusts after her every time he sees her on TV. He thinks people should celebrate his life dressed like her. Everyone- men included. He also wants to hold off on dying until it’s cold. he thinks that would be funny if everyone was dressed skimpily as possible while freezing their asses off. The thought will make him laugh all the way into the eternal afterlife. 

These are the things he thinks about when he has bad days. 

That and what he wants on his grave stone. 

And- if he’s feeling particularly pessimistic- what he wants Lizzie to tell his father. He wants her to keep it light while rubbing in the fact that he’s a piece of shit. 

Maybe he’ll come back and haunt him- just for shits and giggles. 

He likes that idea. 

His mind bounces from topic to topic in between bouts of violent puking. Somewhere in this he gets the theme song from Friends stuck in his head. He doesn’t remember why he was thinking about it- or exactly how he remembers it so well- but it’s there. 

Sometimes he wishes his life were like one of those sitcoms. Maybe one where every week they learn some kind of lesson. But the lesson is always something fucked up and basically just says ‘you’re all fucked’ over and over. He wonders how long that show would run. 

Maybe it’ll get put in syndication. He wants the money to go to Lizzie. Since she’s sold everything to provide for them. Including her wedding rings. Wade remembers how amazingly sparkly and expensive those rings were. They put food on the table for about a week and a half. Good food- too. 

He knows he’s sick right now- but he’s also hungry. Wade is almost always hungry. 

Lizzie originally tried to make him eat healthy- his cancer kept in mind. He quickly talked her out of that notion however. If he’s dying- he’s not spending his last days in lettuce and broccoli. That’s just not going to happen. 

He wonders if when he’s done puking someone will make breakfast. Most mornings they go without breakfast. They had to decide what meal to skip- for monies sake. Breakfast was the unanimous decision. He and Logan can get food at school- he knows the lunch ladies fell bad for his condition. He works that angle. 

Everyone at school knows he’s dying. He can’t stand to go sometimes. Not that he liked school much before he was dying. He talks too much for most teachers and obsesses over the wrong parts of the lesson. He refuses to entertain the thought of math in the slightest. Insisting that that’s what they have calculators for. He has his phone on him twenty four seven. He doesn’t see a reason to learn how to do it by hand. 

Things quiet down for a bit. No more puking. No more thoughts of sitcom theme songs. 

It’s actually pretty nice. 

He wonders why his head can’t work like this all the time. 

Maybe because of the parts of his brain the cancer have affected? Headaches and such are the norm. There isn’t a day that goes by that he doesn’t wish he had just a smidge of Logan’s healing ability. Just a little bit of it. Not the whole thing. He’s not greedy. Just enough to not be dying anymore. Not because he’s scared of death- no. Because he’s tired of headaches and general pain. 

Cancer hurts. Everything hurts. Constantly. 

It’s by far the least favorite experience of his young and some what limited life. 

“Hey,” Logan leans in the door of the bathroom. He’s quiet as ever- sometimes Wade thinks he sneaks up on people on purpose. “Mom says you don’t have to go.” 

Wade grunts in response. 

“I told her I’m not going either.” 

Wade turns his head, resting his cheek on the rim of the toilet. “Using me as an excuse?” 

Logan smiles. “Yea, something like that.” 

Wade tries to grin. “Knew it.” He closes his eyes for a second. “Where’d Lizzie go?” 

“To ‘speak on our behalves’.” Logan rolls his eyes. “I think she’s trying to play the ‘Wade’s dying’ card.” 

“Seems to be a theme this morning.” Wade snorts. 

He isn’t scared of dying. To be honest, there isn’t a lot Wade was scared of.   
Spiders.. maybe. 

But not dying. 

He’s been sick for so long that he was kind of just expecting it at this point. 

No one in this house entertained the thought of him living past 20. He knows he doesn’t 

Lizzie tried to be optimistic. Logan pretended it wasn’t happening at all. 

But the point remained… he was dying. He knew it. They knew it. It was something that was happening. 

“When’d she leave?” Wade asks. 

“An hour ago.” Logan crosses his arms in the doorway. “i was gonna tell you but you were puking your guts up and it smelled awful... so....” 

“If you weren’t so freaky with your super senses thingy you’d be fine.” Wade teases half heartedly. 

“Those super senses thingy are what keep us from getting caught.” Logan snorts. 

“Most the time.” Wade says. 

“Most the time.” He agrees. 

Wade looks back down in the toilet. “Wonder what happened to the moose.” he says. 

“Hmm... I don’t know. Last I saw it was in the science lab.” 

“Which science lab?” 

Logan chuckles. “Fucked if I know. I hate science. I don’t keep up with what room is whose.” 

“Heh.” Wade laughs. “That’s right. The only thing you can do in those labs is set shit on fire.” 

“It’s a handy skill set.” Logan says defensively. 

“For you.” Wade teases. “I on the other hand have to learn how to put them out.” 

“Hard to do since we’re never in the same class.” Logan says. 

That’s true. Wade’s been living with them since they were fourteen. They’re both seventeen now. In those three years- they’ve moved all of four times. Five times? No four times. He’s sure of it. 

At every school they ever go to it doesn’t take long for the teachers to realize that they are to be separated the entire time. For the sake of less classroom interruptions. 

It doesn’t matter much however since the two of them are rarely in class to begin with. 

“Yea.” Wade lays his head back on the rim of the toilet. 

“You take your pills?” Logan asks after a few seconds of watching him.

Wade snorts. “Fuck no. They make it worse.” 

Logan nods. The two boys sit in silence for a moment. 

“So…. how bad is it?” 

Wade knows what he’s asking. “It ain't that good.” He responds, staring at the bowl of toilet water. 

“But how bad is it?” Logan presses. 

Wade raises to his elbows, holding his head up with his right palm. “Last doc gave me eight months.” He informs. “I thought Lizzie told you.” 

“Eight months,” Logan repeats, voice quiet. 

“Eight months.” Wade nods. “They say it’ll get to my lungs by then. Or some shit like that.” 

“Oh.” 

“Yea.” Wade looks back down. “It’s gonna be a hell of a way to go.” 

“Yea.” Logan crosses his arms. “But what if…. what if you didn’t have to.. ya know.” 

“Die?” Wade asks with a grin. “Kinda can’t help that buddy.” 

“No, no, I know that,” Logan says carefully. “But there’s this thing… I found online.” 

“Oooooh. An intrigue.” Wade raises an eyebrow. 

“It’s a doctor.” Logan continues. “In Mexico.” 

“There’s no way Lizzie is gonna let us go to Mexico.” Wade snorts.   
“She will if she takes us.” Logan presses. “If it gives you more time….” 

“Maybe I’m.. not meant to have more time, Logan,” Wade says after a few seconds of silence. “Maybe it’s just time to pack it in.” 

“It’s not time to ‘pack it in’. We can find someone to help you.” 

“Logan- we’ve had people try to help me.” Wade smiles. “It’s a lost cause.” 

“It’s a lost cause here. But there are other doctors… there’s this place in America-“ 

“We’re not going across the border to get turned down in person when they see my file.” Wade shakes his head. “This is it, good buddy. Curtains. The final bow.” 

“I don’t accept that,” Logan says stubbornly. “I think there’s something we can do.” 

“Sorry pal. That’s it. My warranty is up.” 

“There’re doctors. And pills. And treatments-“ “That we can’t afford.” Wade shakes his head and stares into the toilet.   
“There’s got to be something we can do.” Logan restates, this time as if in thought. Wade knows that sound. He loves that sound. It’s the ‘shit’s about to happen’ sound. 

The boys are quiet, both in thought. Wade’s about how he can manage to keep a taco down. Possibly a chimichanga- maybe. Logan’s probably about how to keep Wade from dying. 

Both boys turn in the direction of the door as it’s knocked upon. 

“Decent?” Elizabeth asks from the outside. 

“As he ever is.” Logan chuckles. 

Elizabeth opens the door. “Boys.” She greets. “I got you some food… I set it on the table for whenever you’re feeling up to eating. Take your time.” 

Wade nods. “How’d the school thingy go?” 

“The ‘school thingy’ went fine,” she says. “The two of you are suspended for a week.” 

“Joy,” Logan says dryly. 

“A week that you will spend cleaning this house from top to bottom.” Elizabeth glares at her son, daring him to comment further. 

“I’m gonna have to a passaro on that one.” Wade says. 

“No ‘passaros’.” Elizabeth sighs. “It’s your punishment.” 

“I’ve got cancer.” He whines. 

“Then you’ll sit there quietly and watch James do the work.” 

“Like fuck that’ll happen.” Logan snorts. 

“Language,” Elizabeth growls. 

“Sorry.” 

Wade knows for a fact that Logan is not sorry. His tendency to wax creative when it comes to his language is something to behold. Wade’s quite fond of getting into discussions where they can make up as many foul words as possible. 

The only downside is that they often do this at school- quite loudly and quite often. Meaning they get sent to the principal’s office more often than they probably should. 

She stares at the two boys for a minute. “Okay then.” She glances down at her wrist watch, the silver tucked securely around her too thin (in Wade’s opinion) wrist.   
Lizzie is dressed for work. Gray slacks and a white button up blouse with her red hair piled on top of her head. 

She’s a ginger, Wade notes. But Logan’s not. Neither was his brother, from what he’s seen in pictures. Talk about weird genetics.   
Lizzie works at a call center for some TV company. It’s a boring job that pays very little.   
She forbids Logan and Wade from getting jobs least it leads them away from their academics.   
Which Wade finds laughable in its own right. Academics. Please. 

“I’ve got to go.” She frowns. “Take your pills, Wade. You’ve missed the last three days.” 

Wade groans. “is the food at least good?” 

Lizzie pauses in the doorway. “If by ‘good’ you mean your preferred grease laden sludge- then yes.” 

“It’s Mexican,” Logan informs. “Like it always is.” 

“Well, when you get cancer- you can pick the food.” Wade sticks his tongue out. “Deal?” 

Logan rolls his eyes. “Whatever.” 

“I’ve got to go,” Lizzie repeats. “Stay in the house- okay?” 

The boys are quiet. Wade knows that that’s probably going to be a no go… but he doesn’t want to tell her that.   
“Wade?” 

He stares back into the toilet. “Wade.” She snaps. “Stay in the house. Rest.” 

“Got it.” He agrees. “I will rest.” 

“And stay in the house.” Lizzie presses. 

“And I will try to stay in the house.”   
“No- no. You WILL stay in the house. There is no try.” 

“I will not try to stay in the house.” He says in monotone. 

“Wade, I don’t have time for this.” Lizzie taps her foot. “Stay in the house.” 

“What if the house is on fire? what if there’s a tornado? What if there's an earthquake?” 

Lizzie groans. “In the case of natural disaster you are permitted to leave the house. Anything short of a natural disaster is not a excusable … exit.” She frowns. “I’ve got to go.” She says for the third time. “Stay in the house. Take your pills. Eat.” She turns to her son. “You. Stay in the house. Keep him in the house…” She pauses. “And do some laundry- please.” 

Logan stares at the floor. 

“You’re seventeen. I refuse to wash your clothes.” 

“Fine.” he groans. 

She nods. “I love you. Both of you.” 

“You’re one in a million Lizzie,” Wade says with a nod. 

“See you later.” Logan is frowning. Wade knows that look. It’s not a good one. 

Lizzie nods and leaves, leaving the door open. 

“You’ve got that look,” Wade says, gesturing to his friend. 

“What look?” 

“The one that says you’re about to do the very opposite of what your mom told you to do.” 

“That’s a look?” Logan asks in amusement. 

Wade nods. “A recurring one.” 

Wade can read Logan. A lot of people can’t- Logan likes it that way. But Wade- Wade knows him.

Logan smiles. “I want to go for a ride.” 

“We wrecked the truck.” Wade reminds him. 

He wonders how the school plans to retrieve it from the swimming pool. He almost wishes he weren’t suspended so he could go watch them try. 

“I want to take the neighbors jeep,” Logan informs. 

Wade lifts himself up. “Joyriding is not a natural disaster.” 

Logan sticks his head out of the bathroom door. “It’s raining. Are you happy?” 

“What?”   
“Rain.” He continues. “Hurricane. Flood. Thunderstorm.” 

Wade smiles. “She did say ….” 

“If you’ll get your head out of the can long enough,” Logan drawls, “Mrs. Smith leaves her Jeep unlocked during the day.” 

“Mmm. I see.” 

“And there’s a place down by the river I’d like to go mudding at.”   
“Is that a prank, I hear?” 

“More of a misadventure,” Logan says with a nod. “You in?” 

Wade weighs the options for as long as he can- which is a good three seconds. Two seconds longer than usual- he really put thought into it. 

“Sure.” He smiles. “Sure. Let’s steal a jeep.” 

“Alright.” Logan smiles. “Let’s steal a jeep.” 

It takes several minutes of starts and restarts to get Wade moving. 

Thirty minutes later the two are moving well over the speed limit down a deserted road. The rain pelts down in sheets around them. Heavier than they expected- true. But neither of the boys seems to mind. They do this often- after all. There’s nothing to fear. And besides, Wade couldn’t stand the thought of spending all day with his head in the shitter. Too much time to think. Thinking is bad. 

Granted, Logan’s driving is never the best. It makes him nauseated even when he’s not sick. 

 

Wade grabs the ‘oh shit’ handle as they take curve after curve at reckless speeds. 

“You’re gonna make me puke!” He calls over the music that’s blaring from the speakers. 

“Aim out the window,” Logan calls back. 

“It’ll fly back in!” 

“Then aim out the roof. I don’t know.” Logan glances over at him, taking his eyes off the road. “Just don’t get it in the car.” 

In retrospect, taking the canvas cover off the jeep may have been a bad idea. 

Lightning cracks across the sky, making Wade look up to receive a face full of rain, drenching him and making his hair stick to his scalp. 

“This is fucking great!” He laughs. 

“I told you!” 

Neither of the boys says anything for a few minutes. Logan takes a sudden disinterest in their radio station and starts to fiddle with the dials.   
Wade barely takes note of the caution signs. Who do signs think they are… telling his unbridled teenage enthusiasm what to do? He doesn’t need signs. He doesn’t need pills. Or doctors. Or school.   
He just needs this moment of reckless abandon.   
The thrill of doing something he might regret. 

Logan takes his eyes completely off the road, messing with the radio. The jeep swerves into the oncoming lane. Luckily, no one is there.   
Wade reaches over and puts a hand on the wheel, jerking it back over to the correct side of the road. 

“Hey!” Logan snaps. “I’m driving.” 

“Then fucking drive.” Wade laughs.   
The radio ends up on a Spanish radio program. Wade grins and bats Logan’s hands away from the dial. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?? You don’t speak Spanish!” 

“It's like ‘Dora the explorer’ for grownups.” He shrugs.   
There are more caution signs. Wade actually starts to take note of a few.   
“Hey- there’s a detour up ahead.” 

“I know where I’m going.” Logan dismisses.   
There’s a caution sign that says- “It says the roads out.” 

“We’ve got time,” Logan growls, speeding up. “I can’t take this shit anymore.” He goes back to messing with the radio, eyes averted from the road once again. 

“Hey,” Wade nudges him, trying to get his eyes back on the road. “Logan!” 

The radio switches between pop- which Logan skips- old rock- which he skips again- new rock- which is left on for a moment of consideration and then flipped- and adult alternative which both of them find ‘distasteful’. 

“Hold on!” The boy grouses. “I’m almost done.” 

“No seriously!” Wade’s eyes are wide as he observes the damaged road in front of him. “Logan!”   
“What???” The boy turns to him.   
“The road!” He yelps, a second too late as the Jeep hits a mound of sand meant for blocking the damaged road from travelers and flies through the air before it rolls down a steep cliff. 

Each time the car, whatever side it lands on, makes contact with the rocky terrain the boys are jostled violently. Shaken, stirred, and smashed in every direction.   
The car comes to a screeching halt at the bottom of a valley, wedged between two large boulders, laying on its side. 

Both of them are thrown from the Jeep’s open spaces were the doors and windows should have been- seeing as they weren’t wearing seatbelts. 

What did Lizzie always say about seatbelts? Wade can’t remember. 

Wade can’t remember a lot of things right now. He’s in some sort of shock- he thinks. Everything hurts- the rain pelts down around them and makes mud. Lizzie’s going to kill them for getting this dirty. She’ll probably make them hose off in the backyard before coming back inside. 

Wade told her, however, that if she did that again- he’d go full frontal in front of the neighbors. 

She really underestimates his ability to have no shame when it comes to proving a point and making a statement. 

Wade lands on his back. 

His right leg is twisted weird, his right arm is snapped, he’s bleeding from his forehead and his nose- not a good day for a wreck. Maybe if he wasn’t doing the cancer thing this morning- this would have turned out better. 

It’s a bad wreck. He can’t see Logan, but he hears him groaning. That’s a good sign in the very least. But then- odds are Logan’s going to walk away from this. Wade… well… 

Time stretches on for a few moments that feel like an eternity. Wade wonders what Lizzie will tell his dad. He wonders what she’ll tell the neighbors. What she’ll tell the school. 

Logan will have to miss a lot of class so she can make it look like he’s healing. He’s groaning- so he’s conscious. 

Wade tries to call out to him but.... all he manages to do is spit blood. 

He knows that’s probably a bad sign- but he’s more focused on how awful the blood tastes. He wonders if during this he’s cracked a tooth or two. Lizzie won’t have the time to take him to the dentist and he’d hate to have to plan his future meals around his teeth’s ability to work correctly. 

Logan calls to him- somewhat weakly. He sounds to be in pain. 

Wade knows he’s probably already healing. 

He appreciates him trying to check up on his health. However, he can’t talk. 

Wade hates not being able to talk. 

His last words could possibly be something rational. That doesn’t sit well with him. 

Logan calls out again- Wade still can’t see him. He isn’t moving. 

He must have been thrown out before the Jeep landed- unlike Wade himself who was tossed out at the last impact. 

He’s grateful that they took the windows and doors off the Jeep. He doesn’t want to die in the car upside down. 

Dying here on the ground is a much more comfortable way to go. 

It feels like he’s got forever to think these thoughts. The pain is slowly pulsing. A red hot throbbing sensation. 

Logan is not moving anymore. Wade can’t hear him. He wishes for the best. 

Something sticks out to him- a blurb that Lizzie’s said a million times. 

He just can’t remember what exactly it is. Something about hospitals? Something about Logan and hospitals? He doesn’t remember. 

He’s starting to not remember a lot of things. 

He hears a voice- one on the inside. Something- no someone talking to him. It sounds like his mother... from forever ago. Wade knows that’s probably not a good sign... but it’s refreshing. 

Rain falls on his face, washing away some of the blood leaking from him into a big puddle of brown and red. 

He can’t turn over. He can’t sit up. He can’t talk. 

And there’s that voice- his mom. Ironically she died of cancer too. 

At least this way- he can say he didn’t have to sit around and wait. No more ‘you have eight months’. No more ‘there’s nothing you can do’. No more ‘we can make you comfortable. Do you want us to make you comfortable?’ 

He opens his eyes and sees spots

This is it. 

This is how it happens. 

Wade’s last thought before blacking out is that it dying in a car wreck, in a stolen Jeep, in the middle of a thunderstorm… may have just been the best way to go. His swan song.   
He likes that idea. Then it hits him- all at once. Pain. Searing, crunching, unyielding pain. A groan is all he can get out as his vision darkens.


	3. Logan and the ‘helpful’ doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Creepy doctors. Yea- ya can see where this is going.   
> Thanks for reading!   
> This is a new style of writing for me- I never use this POV- I think over the last.... four years I’ve written a total of 1 story in it? So tell me what you think.

Enhanced senses are both a curse and a blessing. 

On one hand, you can hear things people don’t want you to.   
On the other hand… you can hear things people don’t want you to. 

The hospital doesn’t sound like a usual hospital. He knows he was in one briefly.. and that they noted his healing speed- something his mother warned him about showing to medical professionals- but they don’t seem to be there anymore.   
He hasn’t heard anything from Wade.   
But he’s heard about him. How fucked he is.   
How this is Logan’s fault. 

How this is all his fault. How this was his idea. 

“Yes, yes, those are all very compelling ideas.” A man in a white lab coat walks into the small, sterile setting.   
Logan can’t move or see past a set of clear curtains and restraints holding him to the bed.   
The man is accompanied by a girl, probably no older than himself. Maybe even younger. Her hair is dyed a weird shade of blue. Under a less confusing circumstance, he could all her hot. 

“What?” He croaks. “How do you know-“ “She’s a telepath.” He motions to the girl. “We’ve had her monitoring you whilst you … slept.” He turns to the girl. “You're dismissed.”   
The girl leaves without a word.   
“Where am I?”   
Logan pulls at the restraints. The man in front of him notes his struggling with a little interest. 

“No time for questions.” The red haired man in front of him claps his rubber gloved clad hands together. “There are some facts you need to know and you need to learn them rather quickly. So be silent and listen.” 

Logan doesn’t know how to respond to that. If he is supposed to respond to that.

He knows he doesn’t much care for being told to shut up (basically) or this man’s way of thinking he could boss him around in general. 

“Very good. You're smart.” The man nods. “You’ve been in a terrible accident, for starters. It’s best to get that out of the way. Flipped a stolen jeep down the side of a very steep cliff… I’m sure in some act of teenaged rebellion.” 

“Wha-“ “No questions.” The man snaps. “Your friend didn’t make the crash…. or more so- he isn’t going to make the crash. The damage he’s sustained is quite frankly daunting.”   
“He’s alive?” 

“No questions.” The man restates. “He’s alive- yes. But he’s dying. Of course, you already knew that. What with his condition.” 

His condition. Logan doesn’t know how this man knows about Wade’s cancer… he must be a doctor.   
“You, on the other hand, have walked away from your crash without a scratch.” 

“Really?“ He tries to act surprised.“More so, I should say, that you walked away from the crash with several scratches but seem to have miraculously healed between the site of the incident and the hospital you were airlifted to.” 

“Uh-“ 

“Do not play coy with me, child. This is not an unexpected occurrence.” 

“Listen-“ 

“It’s very interesting.” The man crosses his arms. “How long have your ‘gifts’ been active?” 

“Uh-“ “Is that your primary mutation?” 

“What?”   
The man smiles. “Boy,” He says calmly, “is that your primary mutation? Tell me- what else can you do?” 

Logan would love to show him just what he can do… but some nagging paranoia tells him to save his claws and information about them until absolutely necessary.

“I hear well.” He says instead. “And smell things.”   
“Ah. You’d make a good tracker.” The man says to himself.   
“Tracker?” The man seems to notice that he’s just said that out loud. “Never mind that. Just thinking to myself.” The man dismisses. 

Logan doesn’t like the sound of him ‘thinking to himself’. He doesn’t like the look of the man. He doesn’t like to lab like setting he finds himself in. “I’d like to go home now.” He states. He’s got no idea where he is or more so why his mother isn’t here. It seems like something she’d be informed about. It’s not like the cops of the town that would be responding to the crash didn’t know his face. 

“Home? Already?” The man smiles. “Why you just woke up. You’ve got to take it easy. I’m sure after all that regeneration your body is tired.” 

“I need to call my mom.” he tries again.

“Ah. Yes. Your mother. What do you think she’ll say when she realizes that you’ve basically killed your friend, Logan?”   
“How do you know my name?” he growls.   
“I know more than that. You’re seventeen, you attend a public high school to the north of here, your mother’s name is Elizabeth Hudson, formerly Howlett. And the two of you, plus your friend, have been moving all across the country since the night your father died shortly after the loss of you brother.”   
“How do you know all of that?” Logan feels sick to his stomach and he can’t pinpoint why.   
“Little birds.” The man reaches onto a standing metal tray of instruments and lifts a blue folder. “Police reports.” He puts them on Logan’s lap. “You're quite the handful. Your poor mother.” 

“I want to go home,” he repeats. “Gifts like yours are hard to find, Logan.” The man says instead of answering him. “Do you know that?” 

“Yes.” This man… something isn’t right with him. Every nerve in Logan’s body is screaming that something is ‘off’. He can’t pinpoint why. He wants to. He really does. But he’s not coming up with anything. The room is this odd green color. Floors, ceiling, walls. On the walls are mounted computer screens. All showing something that he’s not sure of. Beeps, dots, and moving lines. He doesn't feel like he’s hooked up to anything. He doesn’t feel like they’ve taken anything out of him.   
“Mutants are becoming more and more prominent in today’s culture.. surely you’ve seen them in the news.” 

“Don’t really watch the news,” he says defensively. “Ah.” The man smiles. “Of course you don’t.”   
“Where’s my phone?” He’s sure he had it in his pocket. 

“Damaged.” The man says crisply. “I hope you memorized the numbers inside of it. A lot of children don’t much have a head for telephone numbers these days.”   
“I am not a child.” He growls.   
“Excuse me. Young adults.” The man smiles and it chills every one of Logan’s nerves. “Your gifts saved your life tonight.” He continues. “Did you know that?” 

“I guessed it.”   
“Of course.” The man nods. “Did you know you could heal on that scale?” 

He thinks it's safe to shake his head. 

“I see. So you don’t know the full extent of your powers.”   
“Where is Wade?” He interrupts. This is something that his mother would be screaming at him for. 

“You heal almost any damage inflicted.” The man says instead of answering. “Do you understand how special that makes you?” 

“Special?” Logan tugs at the restraints again, finding them just as immovable as they were the first time. 

“The key to life itself.” The man’s eyes shine. “Immortality.” 

“I’m not immortal.” He pushes the idea, as well as the man’s odd looks, aside. 

“Oh? Perhaps not. We won’t really know, will we?” He steeples his fingers in front of him. “Unless…..” 

Logan feels a sense of dread. 

“Unless what?” 

“Unless you were to let me run some tests. Not for free, of course.” he smiles. “I could help your friend in exchange. You do want to help your friend- don’t you?” 

“You can save him?” Logan is more than a little skeptical. 

“I can even cure him.” The man puts both hands on the railing at the foot of the bed and leans on them. “How’s that sound?” 

“…How?” 

“It’s simple.” The man smiles. “We take some of your special DNA and introduce it to him. Well, I mean not entirely simple. It could take some time. Of course, you’ll have to stay with us while we work on him. You can’t very well leave him.” 

“Take my DNA.. like blood?”   
The man smiles. “Something like that.” He taps his foot, Logan’s hears it with interest. The man is somewhat nervous about what he’s selling. “It would be a little painful.” 

“But it could save him?” 

“Oh most definitely.Think about it- No expensive treatments. No medications. No bleak outcomes. His health, fully restored. Like yours- Logan.”  
The idea is… well, it sounds too good to be true. Logan knows what they say about things that are too good to be true- but this is his fault. All of it is his fault. If there’s a chance they could save Wade….

“And they could do this in the hospital? Like.. here?”   
The man shakes his head. “Well, no. We’d have to go somewhere special.” 

“Special?” 

“A medical facility that’s a little off the grid. You see this is rather new technology… and things with mutant powers are such are a little… messy when you get federal regulations involved. It’s best to do it out of sight- you understand, I’m sure. ” The man says with a nod. 

“There’s nothing regulating it?” 

“Child, how many mutants with powers like yours do you know?”   
Logan looks down. “None.” 

“Right. And you’re only the second person I’ve run into over the last five years to have a healing factor. With so few of them around, how can we possibly have protocols and regulations? To most people- you are ghosts. Fairy tales. You simply don’t exist.” 

“No regulations, it will hurt, and we can’t do it at a hospital,” Logan repeats. 

“Would you mind, though? If it was to save your friend? You’re a kind boy- aren’t you? You care for him. What're a few little tests in the face of his fragile mortality?”

This sounds like something his mother would warn him against. 

But… Wade is dying. Faster now because of him. 

“It doesn’t sound safe.” he says, it’s a concern that’s batting around the inside of his head. 

“Given your track record, I didn’t think you’d mind a little challenge.” The man looks as his nails and says dismissively, “But if I was wrong…. If you’re not up for the challenge then maybe it’s best to just let you go. Your friend would die, of course, but you’d be able to live out your life as intended. Your very, very, very, long life.” he looks up. “How does that sound? Are you frightened enough to let your friend die?” 

“I’m not scared of you.” he growls. 

“That’s wonderful. The last thing I want is for you to be afraid of me.” 

“And you promise you can heal him?” He asks unsurely after a moment of silence.   
The doctor smiles wide. “My dear boy I do more than promise- I guarantee it.” 

“How do I know you’re not trying to kidnap me or some shit?” 

“Colorful language skills you have there.” The man continues to smile. “I’m not trying to hurt you- I’m trying to help you. You and your friend. Mutants need all the help they can get right now- don’t they?” 

Logan looks around the small room. “Why am I restrained?” He asks. “If you’re here to help me- why am I restrained?” 

“So you wouldn’t wander.” The doctor says simply. “See, your friend was in dire condition and we didn’t know when you would awake so- and I’m hoping you don’t mind- we took the liberty of moving the two of you to our facility.” 

“What?” 

“Only temporarily, of course. Nothing permanent.” 

“I really need to call my mom. She doesn’t know where we are.” He hopes this comes out strong. To be honest, if feels more like a child than he has in years. 

The man frowns. “We can't let her know where you are.” He says finally, leaning on the railing again. “This is a top secret facility. We can’t risk it getting out into the public.” 

“Oh.” 

“Of course if you don’t want my help….” “NO- no. I do.” He says quickly. “I mean- he does. We do.” 

“Smart boy.” The man smiles, letting go of the rail. “I’ll have some of our guards escort you to your room.” He says. “From there we will take you to go see Wade. I’m sure you understand that his condition is pretty touch and go right now. It may take a few days.” 

“O-okay.” 

“Chin up, child.” The man says. “There’s absolutely nothing to be worried about. I promise.”   
His eyes are cold. Logan can’t help but notice this. 

He reaches over the bed and unstraps all the restraints. Logan’s sure he could have popped at least one of them with his claws- but he doesn’t want to push this man before they can help Wade. 

Two armed military personnel enter the room, rifles in hands. 

“Take Logan here to x block…. compartment… 12, if I’m remembering correctly.” 

“Yes, sir.” They say in unison.   
Logan can’t pick a single thing that differentiates the two of them. There’s not a single shred of personality. 

“Wait,” he calls as the man turns his back to him. “What’s your name?” 

The man smiles. “Doctor Abraham Cornelius.” He says with a nod. “I’m at your service and your disposal.” 

“And you’ll be working on Wade- too?”   
The doctor smiles. “Wade has a variety of doctors- I assure you.”   
“But I’ll be able to see him?” 

“When the time comes, of course.” 

Logan pauses. “And you won’t let me call my mom?” 

“I’ll do you one better.” The man smiles somewhat warmly “I’ll call her myself. We left word with the doctor’s at the hospital you see. I’ll just give her a ring and tell her you’ve woken up safe and sound. Once all of our tests are complete and Wade is road ready, we’ll send the two of you home and you can put this whole mess behind you.” He claps his hands together again. “How’s that sound?”   
Logan has to admit he’s scared.   
But he also has to save face. It’s just in him. It’s what he does. 

“Sounds good.” He says with a nod.   
“Good. Good.” The man motions to the guards. “Please escort him. Can’t have him getting lost.” 

“Yes, doctor.” 

“Very good.” He waves Logan over to them. “All of your questions will be answered, I assure you. Our first and foremost task is to save your friend, though. So enjoy the down time.” 

“I understand.” 

OR at least, he’s trying to.   
The guards take him by the arms and almost pull him out of the room. 

The building he finds himself in his pure cement. There are no windows and it smells distinctly of dirt. Like they’re underground.   
There are heavy doors with a million scanners and keypads. Things that look really heavily secured. 

Three minutes into their walk down a straight hallway, the make a right turn and come to a door with an “X” beside it. The guards give codes and run id cards through scanners a good fifty seconds before the door opens and reveal a row of rooms much like you would see in a shitty hotel. The concrete is covered by a yellow carpet that smells like cigarette smoke. 

Logan is partial to the smell. It reminds him of stealing his dad’s smokes when he was younger. 

“Here you are.” The first guard, this one’s brunette, motions to the room. There’s no lock or usual door. Instead, the door is a motion activated flimsy metal like contraption. Logan’s sure, if pressed, that he could get his claws through it.   
They can cut most anything he’s tried so far. But to be honest, he’s not too eager to try them on metal. He knows he heals… but he doesn’t know if they do. 

“We’ll deliver supper at 9 pm. Breakfast at 6. and Lunch at 4.” 

“Understood.” 

“We’ll do checks every three hours.. just to make sure you’re okay.” 

“I don’t suppose there’s anyone else here?” 

The second guard frowns. “A girl. Your age.” He pauses. “I’m going to have to insist that you don’t bother her.” 

A girl? Here? His age? 

Oh sure. he’s going to leave that alone.   
“Sure.” 

The man looks between Logan and his partner. “We’ll be back.” 

Logan nods and walks into the room. It’s small and dark. The only light comes from a lamp in the corner. The bed is a cot to pushed to the wall by a door that he’s betting is the bathroom. 

There’s no Tv. No window. No computer. He has no phone. He’s not really sure what they expect him to do with his time.   
Time. Time. Do they have a clock? 

He looks around the room in vain.   
With no window and no clock- how is he supposed to keep track of the time? 

He decides to push that worry off for a later time and instead flops down on the cot. 

Immediately he realizes that it’s a ‘cot’ only in name. It’s almost unbearably uncomfortable. 

He doesn’t know what the next few days will bring.. or when they’re going to need to get his DNA to help Wade…. but he sits and waits. If they require him to be compliant and helpful- he can play that. They said his mom knew where he was. 

He doesn’t want to not believe them. He wants to put his faith in what the man was telling him. 

He thinks about tracking down the girl who’s supposedly housed here but decides to wait for when he’s really bored. 

And maybe until after he’s had a shower.   
he’s still dressed in his clothes from the accident. The jeans are stiff from blood and the white T-shirt is caked in mud. He guesses they didn’t need to take them off at the hospital.   
More the better. He’s not overly fond of being naked in front of people. Doctors or not. 

Sitting on the cot, thinking such thoughts, it’s easy to push aside the general anxiety that seems to be trying to push itself upon him. 

He spares a brief thought to how mad his mother will be when she realizes they stole the Jeep. Even more so when she realizes they wrecked it. 

But then, they’ve stolen cars before and got away with it. It’s got something to do with his dad. Or who his dad used to be. His mom has a certain… sway over things. He doesn’t know how else to put it. And to be honest, he really doesn’t want to know. 

It’s best to not think about anything. 

He closes his eyes and drifts into an uneasy sleep.


	4. Itsu and the boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shameless teenaged flirting. Kinda my OTP sorta.   
> Also when I say ‘teenage” I’m talking like... almost 18 and 19. So- older teenage, completely legal, flirting.

Itsu cannot remember when the last time she ate a full meal was. 

Not in the months prior to her trip and certainly not in the months that followed.   
OF course, they’re not intentionally starving her. The good director has said repeatedly that that event would never occur in a thousand years. 

She wishes she could believe him. But… she misses her home. She misses her father. She’s yet to see him. Which she finds a little more than odd. She remembers drinking some tea on the plane and then falling asleep. When she awoke she was here and he’d left a note for her explaining that he had to do some sensitive work and that she would be placed under the care of the Director is his staff. 

It’s not so bad, she guesses. The people aren’t exactly ‘nice’ per se. But they’re pleasant enough. 

Pleasant, but very secretive. For reasons unknown to her, she’s not permitted to leave the housing wing. She wonders how many of these wings there actually are. She’s not one to complain, but she’d like to go somewhere with an actual mattress instead of a cot…. and a better shower would be preferable. 

She can’t believe she’s here in the first place. 

They started their journey on the eve of her nineteenth birthday. It was not what she was hoping for when her father said she would be accompanying him on a trip.   
To this day she’s not sure what her father does. She suspects it has something to do with mutants, however… given his odd reaction to her own mother. More so her mother’s death. 

Itsu doesn’t blame that man. Be he mutant or otherwise. It was a freak accident.   
She only wishes her father would see that.   
She fears he’s become so hate fueled that it’s blinded him to the actual reality of the situation at hand.   
That worries her.   
That worries her more than she can possibly imagine. Let alone put into words. 

Whatever the reason it’s landed her here.   
With no light and no clocks, there’s no possible way for her to know what time it is. She can’t keep track of the days.   
She knows that meals are given three times a day. Trays are collected when the next meal is brought.   
She also knows they’re keeping track of her intake. Like she was a patient. Better yet- a test subject.   
She hates to make that comparison, but this place feels very… odd. Like something from a movie she once saw but can’t quite remember. It’s made her rightfully fretful.   
She’s gone into every room on this block to find it just like the next. When she’s bored she makes thorough inspections of each and every room… trying to decide if one is better than the others. 

Her boredom is something that irks her. When her father said they were going on a trip- she wished for more of a… adventure. She’d never left Japan before- she barely ever left her city at all save a few class field trips. 

She opted out of going to a University for the purposes of traveling. Her father is actually quite wealthy, after all. He was going to pay for a trip to Europe. A trip to North America. A trip to Africa- anywhere and everywhere. She has a desire for something different. TO be a part of something she doesn’t quite understand at the moment.   
This drive for adventure has led her here… and she’s still not sure where ‘here’ is. 

And god forbid they allow her out of this housing block. The one time she escaped… well, she didn’t like what she saw.   
The more she questioned them about it, the more the doctors and directors got defensive. She thought, for the sake of diplomacy, that it best to drop the subject entirely.  
That did not make her stop thinking about it, though. She is keeping a record of every ‘weird’ or ‘strange’ thing that happens here.   
Among those strange things are her ‘guests’. People who are here for short amounts of time before being moved somewhere else. 

She has seen many people in this block come and go since she was brought here. All told the same things. The thing about meals and not leaving.   
Eventually, when they’re moved from here- usually in the middle of the night- they never come back. 

She thought she heard one boy when she escaped, but she can’t be sure.   
She’s been watching the door for signs of weakness ever since. 

All of these people have made deals with Abraham. He’s a persuasive man, now that she thinks about it. 

She’s here by his invitation- so he says. She meets him on several occasions when he comes to visit.   
Itsu feels a sense of unease about him. For a large part, she knows this is unfounded. He has no reason to harm her. Therefore she has no reason to fear him. 

He gives her slight updates on her father’s dealings when there are any to be had, and she appreciates the information. 

When she expressed her boredom to him he offered to bring her materials to help keep her occupied. She graciously accepted that offer. Since then, they’ve provided her with a vast amount of English language books and recordings- helping her with her English greatly. She tries it out on the other people who come into the housing unit. She praises herself on how good she’s gotten. 

Itsu wanted to wait until the boy who was brought had a chance to settle in, but she admits that she’s bored- yet again. And even though she usually gives her neighbors a good half a day or so- at least the time period of two meals- she can’t help but be curious. There was something in the boy’s voice. Something she found. intriguing. He had a gruff way of speaking. Unlike the other’s who were brought in, he doesn’t seem to be hesitant or frightened. He’s cool and collected. She respects that.   
Also, if what the guard was saying was understood correctly, he’s about her age. How wonderful it would be to meet a boy, a boy of all things, about her age. The majority of people who come through here are adults. Easily Itsu’s seniors by five years or so. It’s so... rare to get a young person. What a wonderful way to test her English. And alleviate boredom. It’s really a win-win situation- as the doctor would say. 

She just hopes that the boy is receptive and that she doesn’t come off as bothersome. 

She steps out of her room and onto the stale carpet with a barefoot. She brought all of her clothing of course but was allowed to keep four outfits. For space reasons, they said. She understands that the room has very little in the ways of storage. She was willing to go along with it. She wishes they’d allowed her a chance to grab socks- however. But they took her luggage away so quickly. 

It hasn’t left many wardrobe options. As is, she makes do with a pair of denim shorts and a short sleeved shirt. It’ s a little low cut- something her father wouldn’t approve of… but it may make an interesting reaction with the boy

Not that she would follow through with anything- of course. She’s not that bored. Not yet- anyway. In a couple of months… who knows? 

When she’s halfway to his door, the door opens on its own, stopping her. 

The boy that steps into the hallway is about her size. Shorter than most boys his age, for sure. Not that she minds. His hair is jet black, much like her own, and just on the south side of unmanageable. She can’t tell whether it’s short of long. Or maybe a mix of both. Medium. It’s about medium length. 

His eyes are wary as he takes her in. Expression slowly changing as she watches him. 

“Hello.” She waves. “Um.. yes. I stay down the … uh, hallway.” 

“Hey.” His voice is softer than it was before.   
She looks at him again. “Itsu.” She holds her hand out. “My name is Itsu.” 

He takes her hand. “Logan.” 

“It’s a pleasure.” They shake hands for a moment longer than she intended. His eyes are the most interesting, fiercest, shade of blue. Cold and sharp.   
She’s proud of her language skills at the moment. She’s mastered greetings in the very least. Much better than when she first arrived and failed to communicate even the slightest bit of information to her female companion. 

“Why are you here?” He asks.   
Abrupt of him, really. For a second she wonders if somehow her presence has angered him. 

That she didn't anticipate in the slightest. She fears it would be very awkward, really.

“My father.” She tries to arrange her words, not for lack of language skills but from embarrassment. “He works here.” 

“Couldn’t they find you somewhere nicer to stay?” He smiles.   
The smile makes her smile as well. 

“Uh- no. No, I live here now.” She answers lamely.   
There’s a certain manner of attractiveness about the boy. She can see, even though he’s fully clothed that he’s well built. 

What would her father say if she admitted to lusting after an American? Or Canadian? She isn’t sure where exactly she is at the moment.   
“That’s fucked.” The boy says after a whistle. “I would have made them give me a bed at least.” 

“Ha.” She laughs. “I was actually thinking the same thing not thirty minutes ago.”   
“You…. are from .. what- Japan?”   
She nods. “Yes, I am.” she smiles. “How did you guess Japan?” 

“Hmm… gut feeling.” He grins. “I’m good at that kind of thing.” 

“I suppose a skill like that would come in use.”   
That was awkward. She can’t really be sure what she’s trying to do. Part of her, an unwilling part, finds the boy easy to flirt with. It doesn’t seem like a wise game to play if she doesn’t plan to follow through with it. After all, she and the boy are stuck down here until someone comes and lets them out. She could put herself in a dangerous situation if she’s not careful.

“Your English is really good.” He smiles again.. and it puts an emotion in her she can’t quite place. 

“I’m practicing.” She says proudly. 

“I could help… ya know. Since I’ve been speaking it my whole life?”   
Is he flirting back?   
He’s not the first to offer to help her.   
She tries not to jump to conclusions.   
“That would be wonderful!” She grins. “Thank you very much!” 

“Sure,” he says. “No problem. When do you want to start?” 

“Hmmm… it’s never too late. Now?”  
Was that too sudden?   
Did she sound desperate? Maybe the boy wants to rest. Maybe he’d like to shower. IS she being too pushy? 

“Sure,” he repeats. “You seem to be doing okay on your own. Let me know where you’re spotty?” 

“Spotty?” 

“Where you need … improvement.” 

“Ah.” She thinks for a second. “I can greet very well.” 

“I noticed.   
“And hold simple conversations.” 

“Also noted.”   
She smiles. “I think it just needs help with English phrases if you wouldn’t mind.” 

“Sure.” He jerks a thumb back to his room. “You wanna sit down?” 

She looks over his shoulder. “I’m sorry.. but it’s quite improper of me to accompany you to your bedroom. We’ve only just met.” 

“Oh.” He looks thrown. “Okay… how about we sit out here then?”   
She smiles again. “Thank you for understanding.” 

He nods and slowly takes a seat on the floor.   
His clothing is muddy and red stained. The shirt torn around the shoulders… there’s something not right about the outfit. 

“There’s blood on your pants.” She points as she joins him, having just figured it out. “Did you know that?”   
The boy looks down. “Look at that.” He frowns. 

“Are you alright?” 

“Car crash.” He says dismissively. 

“Oh, my. And you are uninjured??” 

He nods. “I’m kinda…. special.” he continues to frown.   
She can’t imagine why being ‘special’ would make him upset. Isn’t that a good thing? 

“Then that is a good thing.” She says in what she hopes is a helpful tone. “Special is better than ordinary.” 

She wishes she could be considered ‘special’. The only ‘special’ thing she’s ever been praised for his her appearance. She has it on several people’s authority that she is attractive. She doesn’t actively try like a lot of girl’s she knows. Her mother used to say she had a ‘natural beauty’ and that cosmetics were not needed. 

She’s not sure about that, but she took her at her word and purchased very little makeup. 

“You think so?” He smirks. “We’ll see.” 

She lets the silence he creates sit for a moment. “Have you eaten?” She asks finally. “She thinks they’re moving past the lesson- that didn’t even start thanks to her pointing out his ‘speicalness’. 

“Hmm no.” He looks to be in thought. “I don't know how long I’ve been out.” 

“Well, the food was brought a short time before you arrived. I don’t eat much.” She points in the direction of her bedroom. “I could go get some for you.” 

The studies her for a second before shaking his head. “Nah. I’m fine.” 

“Are you sure?” “Positive.” 

She looks down at her bare legs. “The director is always saying that the soldiers and doctors need to ‘keep the program free of rats’.” She begins her next lesson, deciding that if he doesn’t seem offended, but it’s best to push onward. “I get the feeling this is an expression. Because I’ve yet to see an actual rat.” 

“Hmm… could mean snitches.” Logan offers. 

“Snitches?” 

“Uh… informants?” He tries again. That makes more sense to her. “I see.” Now her question is what her father would be doing in a program that would involve them to be wary of ‘snitches’. 

“And ‘pissed’? The soldiers often say the director is ‘pissed’.” 

“Curse word,” Logan informs. “It means angry. Really angry.” 

“I always thought it meant to urinate oneself.”   
Logan laughs. “Yea. It means that too.” 

She’s more than impressed by how much she’s learned.

“And when you said that my staying here was ‘fucked’?” 

“Ha. Another curse word. It means screwed up.” 

“Screwed up?”   
He frowns. “Messed up.” he tries again. “They all mean the same thing.”   
“I see,” she says for the second time. “You curse a lot- don’t you?” She smiles.   
he grins. “I can tone it down if ya want.” 

“Don’t,” she says. “It adds color to the conversation.” 

“You like ‘color’ huh?” He smiles. “Wait until tomorrow morning. If they don’t serve coffee here you’ll hear a lot of it.” 

She grins. “I look forward to that.” She leans forward, “Because all they serve is water.”   
“Ow.” He leans back against the wall. “That hurts me.” 

“Hurts you?” 

He nods. “Yea. I hate mornings.” 

“I am not overly fond of them myself,” she says. “I liked to wake up early when I visited my grandparents back in Japan. They had a farm and it was by a lake. It was beautiful there.” 

“Yea. I used to get up and go hunting with my dad when I was younger.” The boy says, almost reminiscently. 

“You hunt?” 

“Oh yeah,” he says. “I’m good at it.” 

“I suppose that comes in handy.”   
He grins. “Maybe I can take you some time.” 

She shakes her head, grinning. “We’re not allowed to leave this wing.”   
“What? Like ever?” She nods. “Not ever.”   
He frowns. “How long have you been here?” 

“Months.” she informs. 

“And you’ve been by yourself?” He sounds personally offended. Itsu loves that passionate sound.   
“People come and go here.” She says dismissively. “Never anyone our age.” She pauses. “That is if we are the same age.” 

“I’m seventeen.” he says. 

“A baby!” she teases. 

“You can’t be much older.” he grins. 

“Nineteen.” she says with a smile. 

This has been a pleasant conversation. And she’s not been lost once! Her English is all but mastered.   
And the boy! Logan. He’s so easy to talk to!The door opens up to the housing unit, stealing both of their attention. 

One of the doctor Abraham comes into the unit with his usual smile. 

While Itsu welcomes it, she fears this means her new friend will be leaving. 

“Logan,” The man addresses him. “There’s been a small hitch with your friend.” She doesn’t understand that. 

“I’m afraid we’ll have to draw some of your blood now.”   
He doesn’t seem worried. 

When she sees the equipment the doctor is carrying, she’s certain she would be. 

“Okay.” The doctor nods to her as Logan raises from the floor. “I hate to cut your conversation short.” He smiles at her. “How are you this evening?” 

“Very well, thank you.” 

“Very good.” The man smiles and smiles. He’s far more cheerful in front of the boy than he has been with the others.   
“Doctor, I was wondering if you could tell me news on my father.” She raises to her feet as well.   
“Your father is just fine.” He says with a nod. “Very busy man. I keep him up to date on all of your dealings.” On all of her dealings? “He’s very impressed with your English skills. You’re almost fluent. You’re a very smart girl.”   
Girl seems to be a term for someone younger than herself. She prefers ‘young woman’ or ‘young lady’. Not girl. It seems almost derogatory. 

“Thank you very much.” She says instead of voicing her perceived slight. 

“You’re very welcome.” The doctor motions to Logan. “We’ve got to go to his room now. I’m sure you understand. It wouldn’t be sanitary to drain this much blood in the hallway.” 

“Wait- how much blood?” The boy seems thrown. He hasn’t seen the device the doctor has behind his back. 

“I’m afraid quite a bit.” The doctor says. His voice holds no remorse. Itsu wonders if Logan hears it. Or didn’t hear- she should say. 

There’s something off about the way this man is treating Logan. Something weird.   
IS it because of Logan’s brand of ‘special’ he was frowning about? The others, now that she’s recalling all had some measure of ‘special’ about them. They all stayed for a short period of time before being removed. During that time the doctor drew blood and ran small tests that left them tired but overall unharmed.   
She’s never seen a blood letting device meant to hold this much blood- however.   
It’s a large tube. Plastic. With notches of measurements running up the sides. it’s about the width of a Pringles can. 

She knows because she recently had a can of Pringles and enjoyed them quite thoroughly. 

“If you’ll excuse us.” The doctor puts a hand on the boy's shoulder and ushers him back through his door, leaving Itsu in the hallway. 

Not for the first time, she thinks something is a little frightening with this place. 

However, she met a boy. A rather… cute she thinks the word is. And she’s not alone anymore. And the doctor, more importantly, says her father is proud of her. She craves her father’s approval more than anything. Since the loss of her mother, it’s been just the two of them. She knows how much he suffers. 

She walks back to her room and contemplates trying to figure out what time it is. 

Finally giving up on the idea, she decides to listen out for the doctor to finish with Logan and ask him directly. Once she’s got the time, she can come back to her room, mark it down on her piece of paper she uses to track it, and gather how long she’s been here. 

Or at the very least, try to. It seems like a boring task, but she looks forward to putting her mind to something. Even if it is something as dull as math. 

With that in mind, she sits on her uncomfortable cot and waits.


	5. Lizzie mans the search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate mom is desperate. 
> 
> Mention of drinking. Alcohol abuse. Motherly instincts in tatters.   
> Thanks for reading! Like I said- I’ve got eight of these chapters to post out the get go. So... yea. Enjoy. :)

Elizabeth cannot begin to describe her heartbreak. 

When she came home and saw that they were gone…. she didn’t know what to do. A million thoughts raced through her mind. All of them ending terribly.   
She called cellphones. Twenty, thirty, forty fifty calls- each. No answers. James’ phone starting going to voicemail. Meaning he was either dodging her calls or the phone had died. 

She hoped he was dodging them.   
Had she been too harsh on him the other night? It was, after all, a prank. Not even their most outrageous one now that she’s thinking about it. 

Days went by and she called. Days went by and she waited. 

She called again. She searched again.   
She turned every inch of the house over.   
Their room is a wreck.   
She dug for hints in every crack and crevice. All there was to find were stashed (Very poorly) pornographic magazines- Wade. A laptop with a password she could not decode- James and his secretive nature. Several packs of cigarettes- James being James. A case of beer- that was probably Wade. He has a fake ID- which she also found. A Mr. Bart Hemmningsworth. Age 23. He’s from Alberta. There’s a few school notebooks housing a variety of dirty pictures and lengthy details about future pranks- the pictures probably being Wade and the plans being a mixture of the two. And finally, Wade’s medical paraphernalia. Pills upon pills upon pills. An oxygen mask- for what was to come. A page torn out of a notebook with what he wanted on his tombstone…. her favorite being a ‘respawning in 3, 2, …'. She knows he stole that from the internet.. .but she likes it just the same. 

There’s not a hint as to where they could have gone. 

So she waited. She waited and waited.   
But it’s been a week now. And there are have been no calls. No messages. No news reports. 

She can’t find them.   
She’s asked all over. She’s gone to their favorite spots… and there’s nothing she can do to find them. 

She searched the woods she’s forbidden them to go. There was a spot where a makeshift fire pit had been made, the floor of the forest littered with cigarette butts and empty beer cans. More notebooks stashed in a tree stump. This one, she found interesting. Crudely drawn costumes. God only knows what for. Wade has the most artistic talent of the two, so they were undoubtedly in his hand. 

She finds traces of them- but not them themselves. In town- nothing. At the school- nothing. She asked children- but they said they hadn’t seen or heard from the boys.   
She tried to tell the police but they said with the boys track record, they probably just ran away.   
She knows with the boys track record that the police are less than willing to help.   
The days have rolled by, each one bringing this new well of terror to her mind. 

On one hand, she and James have been fighting more frequently as of late. They could have very well just decided to run away. 

On the other.. her son is a mutant. A mutant with skills that could come in handy to those who knew what to look for and how to use them. 

She’s not being paranoid. She swears it. 

She’s already lost John to this. Of course, James doesn’t know that version of the story.   
She can’t understand why. Why didn't she tell him? When was she going to tell him? She can’t come up with any answers.   
She knows John hadn’t come into his powers fully. She knows that. And that his ‘gifts’ weren’t nearly as refined as James’. That makes her worry more.   
People were interested in John.   
She can imagine what they’d do if they discovered James. What government wouldn’t want someone with his skill set? What wouldn’t the wrong people do to assure that they could harness him? And he’s a child. She goes back to this. He won’t be as far as the law is concerned in a matter of months- but to her, he is still a child.   
her child to be more precise. 

If he were pressured- who knows what he could do. What they could make him do. James is tough- strong- but he’s not that strong. Some of the things people with his talents can do… well….   
That Creed boy- in the last town they were at … went missing. Two weeks after he used his powers openly. His powers- she notes, that were a lot like Logan’s. So much so that she dog into whether Thomas had had another child.   
There were no records saying that Mr. Creed was not the boy’s father. 

The man… didn't go looking for his child.   
Probably because his child was a psychopath. She called it early. 

He enticed James into fights at the school- trying to prove that he was a mutant. 

James had the good sense to resist. She praises him for that to this day. 

She holds her face between her hands and put hers back to the wall in the living room, slowly sinking to the floor. 

This is her fault. This is all her fault.   
If she hadn’t been so tough on him…. if she’d been more careful when he was young.   
IF they still lived at their Manor. With the woods and the nice cars. With John and John jr. If things hadn't gone down like they did…..   
If she had never had to take her bloodied child into her arms and tell him that he could never tell a soul what happened. It was an accident. She told him over and over- it was an accident. You didn’t mean it. No one meant it.   
John was officially recognized as being attacked by an animal. 

A bear- if she recalls. She thinks that made James feel worse. he already felt dehumanized. 

He hates that. 

James has a lot of… not sensitivity- no. But soul to him. Her mother used to say that his eyes were older than he was. That he had a ‘soulful’ look to him.   
Deep. Calculating. Pensive.   
So much that didn’t make his reckless exterior. 

There’s a knock on the door. 

She doesn't want to bother answering it. Another neighbor looking for a lost dog. Another young person selling chocolates or magazines or whatever the hell they’re selling this time around.   
It would kill her to open the door and not seem them standing there.   
When there's a second knock, she decides it’s best to answer it. They’ll see the Honda in the driveway. They know she’s home. Like she has been the last week. She ended up using all of her vacation days to man the search. She’ll have to go back day after tomorrow, whether the boys are home or not. She sways to her feet- damn the whiskey she’s been inhaling- and trudges to the door, opening it to reveal their neighbor. 

She dies a little on the inside- once again. 

Mrs. Carla Smith. Local ‘Soccer Mom', PTA member, and Gardener of the Month award winner.   
She and the woman have had words on several matters. Elizabeth is used to being … upper-class. Admitting that a woman like Carla is over her now is daunting. She hates that she’s like that- but it’s true. Women like Clara used to want to be her. Now she offers extra baked goods because she assumes they’re ‘in need’.   
A look around her living room reminds Elizabeth that she is indeed ‘in need’. She doesn’t take the reminder in good spirits.   
“Ms. Hudson.” The blonde, model skinny, perfect facial features woman (who Elizabeth swears up and down she’s not jealous of) is standing there in the rain, shaking in her black raincoat and yellow rain boots. A skinny oversized bumblebee. “Uh, I hate to bother you…. but you know my missing Jeep?” 

Elizabeth nods. “Yes?”  
Even her car was nicer. 

“Well, uh they just found it.” She jerks her thumb in the direction over her shoulder. “IT’s wrecked. At the bottom of a cliff.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Elizabeth doesn’t feel the least bit sorry. The woman nods. “It’s just uh. I’m sorry. Here.” She holds something out to Elizabeth. A plastic bag from a local grocery store.  
If this is food, today, with the amount of alcohol Elizabeth has consumed- she’s going to throw it back in the woman’s face.   
Elizabeth hesitates before opening it and finding a wallet and two phones. 

“The phones are functional.” Mrs. Smith says, watching Elizabeth look. “I know I’ve let James borrow the Jeep a few times…. I guess he wanted to take it for a spin? ” She sounds apologetic.   
Not angry- sad. Elizabeth looks at the wallet with dread. Total and complete dread.   
She pushes the ‘home’ button on one of the phones, getting Wade’s wonderfully awful screen savor to pick up. A naked woman. How many times had she asked him to change that?? He gets sent home from school for it- twice.   
The wallet houses her son’s driver’s license and no money. Like James ever carried any. She makes sure the debit card is still there. Not that there would be anything in this account, but it seems important to her that when he gets home he has it. 

“I’m sorry.” The woman in front of her says. “The Jeep was smashed. It looks like they flipped it. 

Then… Logan would be alive. She could find him. No doubt he’s staying with Wade. And Wade would be in the hospital. And- She inhales deeply, feeling a sense of hope. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith.” She says. “I’m sorry about your-“ “IT was an old Jeep.” The woman says dismissively.   
Of course, Elizabeth also knows that Mrs. Smith is trying to play very nice. Ever since she found her half naked sneaking out of James’ window. 

He thought the situation was funny. Of course, the community role model Clara Smith begged for Elizabeth’s mercy. 

Not wanting to drag James into the spotlight that would come with reporting the woman to the police, she obliged in keeping her silence.   
Again, James thought this was funny. 

How she wanted to beat the boy after that.

She’s never raised a hand to her son in anger, however. She didn’t see fit to start. 

At any rate, besides all of these ponderings, Carla won't be making Elizabeth pay any damages. 

“I, uh, hope they’re okay.” She says. “They say the Jeep’s been down there for a week - at the most.” She looks down at her rain boots. “I know they’ve been missing.” 

Elizabeth nods. “Thank you.” She says sincerely. “Thank you so much. You’ve given me somewhere to look.”   
Mrs. Smith nods. “Of course, anytime.” 

She nods to Elizabeth and steps off her porch, marching through the rain and mud back to her house.  
Her nice house. 

Well, nicer than Elizabeth’s at any rate. 

But she’s given Elizabeth hope. A place to start again.   
She knows she’s tried the hospitals before- for Wade’s sake- but now she has a date to ask. Calling and asking for runaway teenagers did her no good. She couldn’t very well tell them what the two would be suffering from if they were admitted. 

But now- she has a round about date and a reason for their admittance. How many teenagers would have wrecked cars in the area on the same day? 

A week… so that would put them and the accident on the first day they were missing. It’s possible that they got taken to a hospital and couldn’t retrieve their phones. James may have been too worried about her reaction to him ending up in a hospital to call her. He probably intended to wait for Wade to get better….. and then bring him home. Yes! That’s exactly what he would do!   
This is hope!   
Of course… there is another side to this… one she can’t bring herself to think of.   
She grabs her cell phone from where it’s charging on the kitchen counter- that she intended to have James clean but now knows she won’t press the issue- and takes it to the table. 

With positive thoughts racing through her mind now, at long last- Elizabeth calls the local hospital.   
Fifteen minutes on hold and she gets to ask for information. Thirty more minutes on hold and she’s told that there’s no record of either of the boys or for that matter- any car crash victims being brought in on the day Elizabeth estimates the boy's wreck would have been. So she asks about the day after. Much to her dismay, she get’s the same result. No car crash victims. 

Dreadful, she calls the hospital in the county over. Fifty minutes on the line with them and there is no trace of her boys. 

She calls the hospital in the next county. Then the next city. Then the next. Then the next. She stops at midnight, exhausted and depressed.   
No one has seen them. No one has any records of them. 

She calls the police and tries to tell them what she knows. She’s greeted with Officer Hollis. An elderly man whom she’s dealt with several times. 

“Lizzie,” He greets over the phone, “Listen, you’re stressing yourself out over nothing. You know how those boys are! Obviously, if what you’re saying is true and no one has a record of them in the hospital - they weren’t in that Jeep.” He would be smiling -she can hear it. “They may have left their things in it. They have jumped out of the car before it wrecked. At any rate- they’re probably off doing something a teenage boy would do… and they’ll come home.”   
She frowns. “You're right.” She admits. “You’re right.” 

“Keep the porch light on. Kick their asses when they come back.” He chuckles. “You know James. I’ve never meant a more willful child. He’s gonna come home eventually. Probably just trying to prove a point.”

Her last order was to stay in the house. He decided to break that order…. that would be like him. 

“Thank you, officer.” She observes the bottle of whiskey sitting at the kitchen table and she ends the call. She takes a large swig, wincing at the taste. It’s cheap. She found it at the boy’s ‘camp site’ hidden under a log. 

He’ll come home. He has to come home. He has to…. He has to. Where else is he-   
Her mind flips to the Manor. Would he go back? More so to the woods- if she’s being honest. He grew up there. Playing out with all manner of wild creatures.   
When he was younger James had a habit of behaving like a bit of an animal himself.   
Now he behaves like the worst animal of all…. a teenager. Elizabeth laughs a little to herself. He’ll come home. When he’s hungry and he’s tired. Or when Wade gets’s too whiney. 

She freezes in her spot. Wade. Poor Wade. The weather…. if he’s out in it… They… 

He’s going to die. He’ll get too sick too quickly. Maybe she should call the hospitals again and look for cancer patients.   
She starts to do just that but realizes how hopeless it would be. She’ll go tomorrow. She’ll drive to every hospital she’s called today and take pictures. 

Elizabeth feels herself tearing up. Without his medication… without… anything- he’ll die. The poor boy somewhere off freezing in the woods.   
Surely James would bring him back before then. Surely he would take him to the hospital.   
He would have that sense about him. 

Her mind is heavy and uneasy at the same time.   
She just keeps wracking her brain over all the possibilities of what’s happened to them. 

Sure, it could be like what Hollis said. She wouldn’t put it past James. 

But… his friend…. She knows he would have the sense to keep Wade safe. She just knows it.   
Then there’s the thought that draws the most sense of dread to her.   
That they made it to a hospital but were never admitted. That James was picked up from the site… but healed in front of people.   
His healing is fast. Not as fast as it’s going to be, she’s heard from trusted doctor and friend once upon a time, but fast enough.   
Injuries from a car crash- even if they were severe, would easily heal within five hours. 

She’s seen him heal from a variety of illnesses in little to no time at all.   
An interesting wrestling with the flu once upon a time in which he healed and then subsequently reinfected himself by drinking from the same cup from the moment when he was ill. It was quite interesting. 

What if her worst fear has come to pass? Where would she start looking then? You can’t take down a government or anti-mutant operation without knowing anything about it. 

And if it is run by the government- there’s nothing they’re going to do to stop it. And if it’s not what she thinks it is, she’ll have outed her son by herself. She doesn't know where to start looking. Or where to go from here- but she knows she’s going to find a way. She’ll find a way if it kills her.   
And if she doesn’t find them- if they really are gone- she hopes it does.   
She wills herself to die on the spot if something happens to them that she can’t stop.   
She prays for a different outcome and plans to go through with taking the pictures to the hospitals tomorrow. If it’s all she can do at the moment- then it’s what she’ll have to do. 

God only knows what happened. 

As much as she prays, she can’t calm herself.   
As much as she wishes and hopes, she can’t quiet her mind. 

So she goes back to the bottle. She hits it hard.   
Eventually, through blurred vision, she reads the stove clock’s digital number, blue and fuzzy, as 5 AM. 

After reading it, she lays face down on the table and closes her eyes- too exhausted to carry on.


	6. Wade and the series of dreams that may or may not be dreams but god damnit he wants a taco.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medical experimentation lightly mentioned.   
> Body horror- I guess kinda. Though not too graphic.   
> Deadpool has a bad day. And mentions of dreams involving a cartoon duck and lingerie. So.. yea. Take that as you will.

Wade is used to having weird dreams. He thinks it’s part of his ‘zany’ personality. 

He’s dreamed of all kinds of things. Literally- all kinds of things. There was a particular series of repeated dreams that involved a certain Disney duck and some lingerie. And when all was said it done he can honestly say, with pride, that that duck.. wasn’t Daisy. 

However, his dreams have never had so many doctors in them before. 

By many, he means like twenty. 

Even when he was seeing al his regular doctors after he got his diagnosis, he didn’t dream of this many.   
And the dreams are reoccurring. Like he’s fallen asleep and not woken up yet. Or- that he’s having one long string of nightmares. Sometimes after cancer treatments that would happen- nightmare after nightmare. He can’t really remember where he is… but he knows if he tells Lizzie about this when he wakes up, she’ll make him waffles. Wade likes Waffles. So he takes in every detail about every dream and tries as hard as he can to hold them in his mind. The more details- the more sympathy. Maybe he’ll get waffles AND bacon. The kind she used to make before they moved- when she was a little happier. 

He holds these images and sounds in until he’s sure he’s got them committed to memory. It’s harder than it sounds- especially for Wade. 

In these dreams, there’s a ginger man- not the Lizzie kind, more the ‘Chucky’ kind- that comes in and leans right over his face a lot. He wants to say something to him, but there seems to be tubes in his mouth. He hates not being able to talk. That’s what makes him think these ‘dreams’ are really nightmares.   
He can put up with a lot- but losing his ability to speak??? That’s what makes him him! How can he possibly laugh off the shitty situations he’s put in if he can’t laugh?  
When Chucky is not leaning over him, there are soldiers.Then sometimes he dreams of a bald man. In those dreams, he’s in some kind of tank- like a fish. He likes the fishy dreams. He gets to see other people in those. Other fishy people. 

Most of them older than him. But occasionally, occasionally there’s this one chick. Naked. He loves the nakey-lady fish dreams. 

He’s naked in those dreams as well- which he doesn’t really mind. He just wishes all the doctors weren’t staring at him. Like really- he should get paid in those dreams. He always wonders why they last the longest. Or why they feel so… real. All of these dreams feel real. Like- all of them. He can feel what’s happening. And it’s not always a good feeling. Sometimes it hurts. 

Okay- a lot of the times it hurts. 

“Liver is functioning.” Someone mumbles. “Kidneys have healed.” 

His liver is a finicky thing. His Kidneys even more so. He was on a organ transplant list once upon a time. He never heard back from the people running it. He guesses no one had any organs to spare. 

“Lungs… doing well.” The person says again. “Not 100%- wait- wait. Yes they are.” The person sounds impressed. “Dr. Cornelius. His lungs are at 100%.” 

Is he awake? Is he asleep? 

Why does his skin ache so much? 

“That’s wonderful.” Chucky bends over Wade, and he’s almost sure he’s awake. “Wade?” He turns away. “Has he regained consciousness?” 

“Should in a moment or two, doctor.” Another doctor says.   
“Excellent.”   
Wade forms his thoughts into semi-rational order so as to speak. He’s not sure if this is real or not- but he plans to remedy his not knowing post haste. 

“Are you real?” No tube. Finally, there’s no tube. “Cuz I’ve had some fucked up dreams boy, let me tell you. And you kinda look like if Chucky wanted to be a doctor. The kid from Rugrats, not the fucked up doll. Though if you wanted to be the fucked up doll, no problems here man. No kink shaming. Get on with your bad self.”   
“Wade-“ “And another thing,” Wade tries to sit up but can’t, “This isn’t a very self-aware dream. I’ve been dreaming of hospitals and doctors that I’m not sure are Government approved. Some of the practices seem a little fishy.”   
“Wade-“ “If I’m going to be asleep, I’d like to wage a formal complaint with the sandman about the lack of naked women. Or men. Ya know. Haven’t really made up my mind on that. Kinda could swing both ways for the right fella. Maybe a brunette? I like brunettes. But… if it’s going to be a woman- I suggest the nakey fish lady I’ve been seeing. The chick with the pale skin? Oh, that would be sweet.”   
“Good lord.” The man hisses. “He likes to talk.” 

“Of course I talk. Why wouldn’t I talk? Why are you gasping? Is this a hospital?” he wants to ask all of his questions now. “Where are the pretty nurses? I’m in need a sponge bath and-“ “Be quiet.” The man puts his hands on the side of Wade’s face. For some reason, the pressure hurts. “Ow.” He whines. “No touchy.”   
He moves his face from side to side, turning his stiff neck. “Lymph nodes,” he moves down to his neck. “, feel good.” 

“Yay! That means I get to live - right? For now anyway? Or do I need to take more pills? Can I eat before hand? I really want some tacos.” 

“Be quiet.” The man repeats. 

“Sorry.” Wade wonders why he can’t move very well, but doesn’t put much thought into it. 

“Child you’re very lucky. Do you know that?” The man says, backing away from him. 

Wade nods, looking at the man. “Yuppero.” 

“Do you know why you’re lucky?” The man looks like he didn’t want to be interrupted. Wade’s always been bad at judging whether a statement was meant to be rhetorical or not.

“My good looks and charming personality?” he offers a smile. 

The man frowns. “No, Wade. You’re lucky because I found you. You were dying.” 

“Tell me about it.” he snorts. 

“No, Wade, I mean it. When I found you several of your organs had shut down.” 

“Groovy. Anything to eat?” 

The man’s frown deepens. “Do you not want to know how you’re still alive?” He asks finally. 

“Nope.” Wade shakes his head. “This is a dream. And I want to get to the part of the dream where Beyonce is my nurse and gives me a sponge bath while I eat a bag of tacos.” 

“You’re not asleep, Wade.” The man says after a moment of silence.   
“Am too.” “No, you’re not.” 

“Yes, I am.” he insists.   
“No,” The man growls, “you’re not.” 

“Am too.” Wade sticks his tongue out at the man. 

“You're not dreaming, Wade.” The man tries again.   
“Why do you keep saying my name? It’s creepy as fuck.” 

“You think I’m creepy?” The man chuckles. “That’s the first time anyone’s bothered to tell me that.” 

“Yea well you are working it sister.” Wade finds that he can’t move his hand, but he moves his fingers enough to snap them a few times. “Get down with your bad self.” 

“Indeed.” The man crosses his arms. “You’re alive because of my interference. You don’t sound a bit grateful.” 

“Well…. I’ve yet to get that sponge bath…”   
“There will be no sponge baths.” The man, Wade can tell, is losing his temper. Most adults do around Wade. 

“Not even a little one?” he can’t help but press his luck. It’s part of what makes Wade… Wade. 

“No.” The man growls. “Then….. can I still have the tacos?”   
“What tacos?” “The tacos from the sponge bath.”   
The man glares at him. “The other boy was much more agreeable.” A woman comes up and whispers to the doctor.   
“A nurse!” Wade cries. “See I knew this was a hospital and not some freaky alien place!” 

“Yes, Wade.” The man says. “This is a hospital. A very special hospital.” 

“Like the one I went to in Texas?” 

“No. It’s like no other hospital in the world.” 

“So it’s like the Disneyland of hospitals?” 

“….. What?” 

“You ask a lot of questions for a doctor.” He stops. “Wait. Wait. You’re not a shrink, are you? Because Lizzie keeps threatening to make me see one of those.” 

“I’m not-“ “And let me tell you- I'm completely grade A normal. A little bit hyper, but definitely normal. Really if anyone in our house should see a shrink it’s Logan. He’s got a bit of a temper. And with his unique uniqueness it’s a bad thing to have.” he stops. “But I’m normal.”   
“Wade, would you please listen to me?” The man tries.   
“I am listening to you,” Wade says. 

“No, you’re talking.” The man growls.   
“I’m holding a conversation,” Wade says. 

“Dr. Killbrew would be interested in this one.” The nurse says. “I think you’ll find him nonfunctional.”   
“Nonfunctional? I resent that!” Wade tries to find the where she’s talking from. 

Wade turns his head, just now noticing it’s restricted by a thick velcro strap. “Whhhhaaaat?” He stares at the doctor. “I’m underage!” He says quickly. “None of this kinky bondage shit! I’m a child!” he struggles, finding his arms and legs also restrained. 

“Those are for your safety- I assure you.” The doctor says crisply. 

“It’s not that you’re not an attractive man-“ “Wade.” The doctor growls. 

“I just don’t have that type of daddy issues.” Wade continues. “And I lack the medical kink. Ten out of ten for setting and forethought- though.” He looks around. “If it’s all the same, I’d like to leave your sexy doctor dungeon.” 

“This is not a ‘sexy doctor dungeon’. I do not have a medical kink. And you cannot leave.” the man snaps before saying much more calmly, “You’re very safe here, Wade. We’re taking very good care of you.” 

“I don’t feel very safe.” Wade frowns. “And I’m hungry. Are you hungry? I’m hungry. Can I have some Jell-O?” 

“What?” The doctor asks again. “Jell-O. Hospitals serve Jell-O.” 

“This hospital doesn’t.” The doctor is frowning again. “You’re quite a peculiar young man.” 

“I’m double jointed in my thumb,” Wade informs. “Ya wanna see?” 

The man continues to frown. “Wade- do you not want to know how you’re alive?” 

Wade shakes his head. “Right now all I really want is Jell-O.” 

The man puts a finger to his lips and taps it for a few minutes, before crossing his arms over his chest. “Child, I run a very special program in this facility.” He begins. “And I have saved your life for a very special reason.” 

“Is it my good grades?” The man frowns again. “Your grades are abysmal.” 

“Only if you look at it from the teacher's standpoint.” Wade snorts. “No, Wade. I like to look at other things. Like your police report. Several ‘pranks’. You’ve been to juvenile court three times for fires and such. It’s very interesting. “ 

“Did you see the one where I put the moose in the school? That’s the last one I did.” 

“That I did.” He pauses. “You and Logan make a good team, don’t you?” 

“Yup. He’s my buddy.”   
“Of course. Your buddy has helped you a lot recently- did you know that?” 

“Mmm… no?” he grins. “I’ve been sleeping.” 

“You've been dying.” The man corrects. “Your ‘buddy’ has given us vast quantities of his DNA. Our scientists, myself included, have found a way to take some of what makes him so ‘special’ and give that to you.” 

“What?”   
“Logan is a very special mutant.” The doctor says. “He has very special gifts.” 

“I know that.” Wade rolls his eyes. “Hey, while we’re on the topic of special stuff- my face like really hurts.”   
Wade has noted his mounting discomfort and can take very little of it now. 

“That will be discussed.” The man frowns. “Wade- Logan has something that could help you- do you know that? With the right doctors, they can take that from Logan and put it inside of you.” 

“Sounds kinda ya know- gay?” Wade raises his eyebrows. 

“Gay?” 

“You put Logan inside of me.” He grins again. “I didn't consent to that.” 

“You were dying.” The man growls. “There was no time for you to ‘consent’.” 

“I dunno. Sounds pretty law suite worthy.” Wade sings. “Bet you’re rethinking your no Jell-O policy now.” 

“There will be no Jell-O!!” The snaps before audibly sighing and counting backward from ten. “Wade,” He says finally. “Child, I’ve done you a great favor.” 

“Where’s the chick in the tank?” He asks instead of answering the doctor. 

“I’m sorry?” The doctor is thrown again.   
“When you had me in the fish tank there was a girl. She was naked. Where is she?” 

“There have been several girls in those thanks.” The man says dismissively. 

“This one was a knockout,” Wade says. “With a black circle over her eye….” 

“Ah yes. Domino.” The man sounds to be in thought. “Do you like Domino, Wade?” 

Wade nods as much as the restraints will allow. 

“Would you like a chance to speak with her?”   
Wade nods once again. “Oh, yeah. I got some sick moves.”   
“He’ll need them.” One of the nurse’s snorts.   
“What if I told you that there was a way for you, Domino, and Logan to all… hang out together? Go to exotic places. See the world. Receive training most other people couldn't dream of!?” 

“I really just wanna see the naked chick- if it’s all the same to you.” 

“It is not ‘all the same to me’.” The doctor seethes. “I have done you a favor and now you must do me one.” 

“I didn’t ask you to do me a favor.” Wade points out. 

“You were dying!!! I’ve saved your life!!” 

“And then tied me up to your table,” Wade says pointedly.   
“To save your life!!!!” The man yells. “Seriously child- I’ve done the impossible for you! I’ve cured you! What part of that are you not getting??? I’ve cured you and now you owe me. And you will continue to owe me until your debt has been paid and you are no longer of use to me. Do you understand?!!?”   
“Hey,” Wade says coolly, “My face hurts. Like.. .alot. Why does my face hurt?” 

“You idiot!” The man seethes. “Are you listening to nothing I’m saying??”   
“I wanna know my face hurts,” Wade says. 

“It just means your powers are working.” The man snaps. “It won’t last for long.” He breathes in slowly. “So, Wade, here's what I’m going to ask you to do.” he recollects himself. “Do you know how to shoot a gun?” 

“Boy do I!” Wade sounds excited. 

“Tell me- what have you shot?” 

“Deers and mooses and rabbits and squirrels!” 

“Good. That’s good.” 

“I have a hunting knife too!” Wade is now thinking that they’re going to take him hunting. He’s not really thinking past that thought. The thought of going outside and not being inside strapped to this table interests him.   
“Logan and I go all the time!” 

“I see.” The man temples his fingers in front of his face. “And does Logan know how to shoot the gun?” 

Wade snorts. “The last thing Logan needs is a gun.” 

The man frowns. “Why do you say that, Wade?” 

“You know.” Wade rolls his eyes. “Built-in weaponry.” 

“Built-in weaponry.” The man repeats. “What do you mean by that?” 

“I thought you knew about his powers,” Wade says suspiciously. 

“I thought I did too.” The man smiles. “Now what’s this about built-in weaponry?” 

“Nu uh. If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.” He grins. “Bro code.” 

“I see.” The man stops and stares at him. “Wade, if I told you we had ways of making you tell us things- would you believe me?”

“My heads kinda cold.” Wade is registering all of his complaints instead of answering thinly concealed threats. “Did you shave it?” 

“You could say that.” The man smirks. “Your new powers came with a price- Wade.” 

“Hmm… I think I've got a twenty in my wallet.” 

The man sighs again. “No. You already paid this price. Your cells are replicating as fast as the cancer cells can mutate. It’s left… sort of a physical mark- if you will.” 

“You gave me a scar???” He gasps. 

“I gave you a full body makeover.” The man is smiling. “Now, I’ll be honest- it will take some time to get used to-“ “I want a mirror,” Wade demands.   
“Now, now.” The man seems to be taking great joy in his job at this moment. “No need to get fussy. Let me tell you about what you’re going to be doing for me.” 

“I’m not doing shit for you!” Wade snaps. 

“Where’s that sense of humor?” The doctor mocks. “Hmm?” 

“I don’t think this place is government approved.” Wade looks around the lab. Green. The ceilings are high and dark. The walls are lined with tanks and machines.   
“Wade- you’re practically immortal.” The man says. “I’ve granted you life! I’ve cured you! You are breathing solely because of me!” 

“Power trip much?” Wade struggles again. 

“Cease your infernal wiggling.” The man orders. “Let me tell you what you’re going to do to pay me back.”   
“What about the naked chick and Logan? Can we go back to that part?” 

The doctor sighs. “No, Wade. We cannot.” 

“We could if we believed in ourselves and tried really hard,” Wade says, shutting his eyes. 

“Child we’re going to train you.” The man says. “We’re going to make you better. Give you a purpose in life.” 

“Like……. a televangelist?” 

“No, you blithering idiot.” The man smirks. “Like a weapon.”   
Wade doesn’t exactly know what that means- but he fears, for one of the first times in his life, that he’s done something stupid enough to actually cause him harm.And that fear- that realization- scares the everloving shit out of him.


	7. Logan and the girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More shameless flirting.

Logan’s done a lot in his young life. There's no denying that. A lot of heavy lifting. A lot of taxing situations. But never- never in his life- has he been as tired as he is now. 

He has been in this wing for an extremely long two weeks. Dr. Abraham keeps him up to date with everything but Wade.   
Part of him thinks that maybe Wade is already dead. He doesn't like to feed it too much- but it remains. Wade could be dead and they could be stringing him along for some reason.   
The copious amount of time spent with Itsu is helpful, he finds. But it doesn’t erase the feelings of unease and insecurity that come with the passing days. 

Logan’s lost more blood than he has in his entire life. All willingly given to the doctor who keeps demanding more. More blood. Bone marrow. Hair. Spinal fluids.   
It hurts. Logan knows it’s going to save Wade- but god damn it hurts.   
The doctor just left with another pint of blood, leaving him woozy and exhausted on his cot. 

He’s not surprised at all to hear the door open. 

“How much did he take this time?” Itsu asks from the door. 

“Too much.” He turns on his side, looking at her. “What time is it?” 

“By my calculations? Seven Pm. The day? ” 

She keeps up with the time, he keeps up with the days. “Thursday.”   
He should be in school. Not that he misses it that much- but the point remains. He and Wade should be home by now.   
What’s his mother going to say? He hasn’t heard any news from her either. He thought for sure she’d have worked out some kind of deal to be able to come and see them. Especially with Wade in the condition he’s in. But then… he doesn’t know anything about Wade’s condition. It’s all a big mystery.  
He puts every good vibe he possibly can into thinking that Wade’s doing better…. but they just won't tell him anything. The doctor says that information will come when there is any to be had. 

“Thursday,” Itsu repeats with a nod. “Did he tell you any news on your friend?” 

Logan shakes his head. “Nah. He said they didn’t know anything else.” 

“But…. he didn’t say he had died?” Logan smiles lazily. “Nah. He didn’t say he was dead.”   
“That’s wonderful then!” She claps her hands. “Can I come in?”   
Logan loves that they’ve spent so much time together. In just two weeks she feels comfortable enough with him to come into his room. In another week or so she may just let him in her’s. 

“Sure.” He motions with his hand. 

Itsu is wearing her sweatpants today. The gray fabric hugs her tightly. Logan loves how… tiny she is. Not just skinny- no. But generally small. Tiny feet, tiny hands, tiny build- tiny. Pocketsized she likes to call it. 

“You’re healing- right?” She asks gently. 

Logan nods. “Should be fine in about twenty minutes or so.” 

“You look like ‘hell’.” She makes quotation marks with her fingers. Logan finds it adorable.   
“Yea? Well you should have seen what he left with. I feel like he ought to just start lopping off limbs. It might save him some time.”   
“Logan!” she gasps. “Don’t say things like that!”   
He grins. “What? You doubt my ability to heal?” 

“I don’t like seeing you in pain.” She glares at him.   
“Okay, okay.” he laughs. “Ease up. Come on.” He pats the cot. “Sit down.” 

She stares him down another moment before taking a seat at the edge of his cot. “Logan,” she says after a minute.   
“Itsu.” he mimics.   
She frowns. “When you leave this wing- what do you see?” 

They take him off the wing for the bone marrow retrieval. 

Itsu has been trying to map the compound out- with Logan’s help and her memories from when she got out… which Logan finds more than impressive. Short of using his claws, he doesn’t think he’s found an opening as of yet. According to her, she’s found two since their time together but refused to take them because she had ‘no where better to go.’ 

When they take him off this wing he doesn’t go far. Just down a hallway across the hallway from this wing. He can tell how massive this place is though. More massive than any ‘hospital’ he’s ever seen before. More secretive. He can understand Itsu’s desire to know what’s going on here. He just hopes she doesn’t do anything stupid.   
He’s the master at doing stupid things. And he can tell that here? This place? Not the best place to be stupid. 

“I just go across the hall,” he tells her. “There’s not much to see.”  
She frowns. “You’re the longest person to stay here,” she says. “I was wondering where the other’s go.”   
Logan shrugs. “Maybe they go home.”   
She continues to frown. “I wish they would take me away from here.” 

Logan looks down at her bare feet. So, so, so tiny. She can’t be full grown yet. He thinks women stop growing before men do , however. He can’t be sure. “Maybe…. I don’t know. Maybe you can come with me? Me and Wade? My mom probably wouldn’t have a problem with it. She took Wade in pretty easily.”   
Itsu smiles. “I can’t leave my father, though.” 

“What if he said it was okay?” Logan offers again. “All we have to do is get the doctor to ask him- right? Then we wait until Wade is better and the three of us just leave.” 

Itsu seems to give it some consideration. “I could always tell him where I am.” she says finally. “it’s not like it would have to be permanent.” She smiles. “And then maybe I can actually start to enjoy my vacation.”   
Logan nods. “Because spending it here? God that’s fucked.”   
“Very fucked.” she laughs. “Very fucked indeed.” 

The two of them fall into silence for a moment. Logan likes her silences. He likes her speaking. He likes the fact that she snores- with his hearing and these thin doors, it’s pretty easy to hear. He likes that when she first wakes up and when they bring her meals, she brings her tray to his room. She talked the doctor into letting them have coffee. She thinks it’s so Logan won’t be so sluggish. Or some medical reason- she’s sure. At any rate, they have piss poor coffee in a metal container kept in the hallway. 

Logan likes that she tells him what she thinks. She says how she feels. She tells him her dreams.   
Itsu shouldn’t be by herself. Logan hates that she was alone for so long. She’s such a … friendly person. The idea of her having no one to talk to makes him feel something he can’t really describe. Of course at his age, he’s had crushes before. Flings even. There was that one thing with his neighbor that one time… the one that almost got him kicked out of his house.   
It’s different with Itsu. There’s something.. sweeter there. It helps that she’s insanely attractive- sure. But Logan thinks he would like her no matter what she looked like.   
He wants to see her out of this place. Preferably with him. Okay- most definitely with him. 

He’d like to take her somewhere where she could feel that sense of adventure she’s looking for. 

He’s got to be careful, however. Some of the things she says about her old man… well, he doesn’t seem too fond of mutants. Something about his wife being attacked by one or something- Itsu doesn’t like to talk about it. Itsu herself doesn’t have a problem with them- obviously. She treats him just fine. 

He loves that she fought for coffee, even though she doesn’t drink it that often. It’s best in the morning when it’s hot. But then best is a relative term. It’s pretty shitty no matter what time of day it is. In the morning it just happens to suck less. 

Itsu takes her tray and her styrofoam cup of coffee and sits at the edge of his cot. The two of them don’t talk about anything important- not really. Normal teenage stuff- Logan supposes.   
But then… some moments it feels like they’re having the most serious of discussions they could have. In those moments she tells him things he’s heard before but never in the tone she tells them.   
Itsu can make her morning- which Logan knows is the exact same as his morning- sound exotic and entertaining. 

Particularly the trouble she has with her shower. That’s Logan’s favorite part. She’s very determined to work around it. And even more determined not to tell anyone about it least they move her. 

She’s strong willed, Logan is happy to note. She doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer in pretty much anything. At the same time, she’s gentle. It’s all a very confusing mystery about Itsu.   
He’s never had someone be so painfully honest with him and yet have this veil concealing something at the same time.   
It goes without mentioning that the two of them have gotten close. 

Close enough to spend almost every waking moment together. That is when she’s not in her room. Though the guards told him not to bother her, they haven’t said anything about the time the two teens have spent together. They are pleasantly distant and even more pleasantly quiet. Logan likes that. 

“Logan… can I ask you a question?” She says after the small silence.   
Logan props himself up, doing an almost sit-up to raise himself to elbows while staying on his back. Basically putting the most effort he can into being as lazy as possible. 

“Shoot.” 

“This thing we have.” She crosses her legs, crisscrossed underneath her and puts her hands on her knees. “What is it?”   
What is it. That’ s a question he’s been wracking his brain over. What is it. 

It’s everything. To him anyway. He doesn’t want to come on too strong, however. He’s so…. close to something that ruining it would wreck him. So he’s got to play it cool. He’s almost certain she feels the same way, but who can really know? 

Logan mulls it over a second more. “I guess it’s whatever we want it to be,” he says finally. 

“And what do we want it to be?” she asks in a teasing tone. 

“That’s a good question,” he says with a smile. “What do we want it to be?” 

“I asked you first.”   
“Well I asked you second.” he teases. 

“I think it goes without saying that I am.. fond of you,” she says quietly with a raised eyebrow. 

“Fond of me? Is that all?” he says with a smile. 

“Don’t be an asshole.” 

Logan also loves that she’s picked up his love of foul language. 

“Well, I think it goes without saying that I am also fond of you.” he says with a lilt to his voice. 

“Fond of me?” she mocks. “Is that all?” 

“Don’t be an asshole.” 

She grins. “So. We’re fond of each other.” 

“Yup.” He leans his head back, happy to note that the dizziness is gone 

“And… what do people do when they are fond of each other?”   
He raises an eyebrow. “Honestly?” 

She nods. 

“You’re sure?”   
She nods again. “Of course.”   
Logan brings his head back upright, looking at her with a grin. “They fuck.” 

Itsu bursts out laughing. “Little boy,” she teases. “You could not handle this.” 

“I’ll have you know,” he says, “That I’ll be eighteen in….. two weeks?” 

“Hmmm.” 

“And it’s not like we have that big of an age difference.” 

“It’s actually a little less than two weeks.” Itsu smiles. “I was thinking of a kiss.” She says. “Since you are still underage.” 

“By a week and a half!” he groans. “The law is the law, Logan.” she laughs. 

“So two weeks… and then….” 

“Hmm?” Her eyes are so… beautiful. He can’t believe he’s lucky enough to be having this conversation. Her face is so gentle. So caring. 

“We can….?” 

She grins. “Do you think me a blushing virgin?” 

“I didn’t wanna assume-“ 

She giggles. “We will see,” she says finally. “In a week- we will see.”   
“Week and a half.” He grins. 

“Week and a half.” She nods. 

“So you’re basically giving me the green light?” he asks playfully. 

“Hmmm.. I’m not exactly giving you the red light.” 

Logan laughs at her phrasing.   
“What? Is that not a saying?” she questions. 

He shakes his head. “No.” he laughs. “It’s not.” 

“It seems that if there is a ‘giving them the green light’ saying there should be a ‘giving them the red light’ saying.” She frowns. “It’s only common sense.” 

“Yea well…. it doesn’t work like that.”   
“And you’re a professor in how it ‘works’?” she teases. 

“More like an advanced student.” He smiles. 

“So… if I cannot lay with you until you are eighteen….” 

“ ‘Lay with me’?”   
“Fuck.” She giggles. 

“Oh- gotcha.” 

“Are you going to interrupt?” she asks patiently. 

“No ma’am.” He shakes his head. “Good.” She pauses. “IF I can’t lay with you could I at least lay down with you?” 

Logan raises an eyebrow. “What here? In the bed?” 

She nods.   
He couldn’t be happier in this moment. “Sure thing.”   
He moves over, putting his shoulder to the wall and she crawls into the space he’s made, resting her head on her chest. “Are you sure this is okay?” She asks finally. 

“Itsu-“ He laughs. “You’re barely a year older than me. You can lay on my chest- okay? It’s fine.”   
He takes his hand and runs it through her a hair. It’s like a waterfall of silk. 

“You’re quiet,” she mutters after a few minutes.   
“Thinking,” he says. 

“About?” 

He knows he shouldn’t kiss her…. or touch her in any way she would deem ‘inappropriate’. he quickly kisses her forehead. “Nothing.” 

She closes her eyes. “Are you worried about Wade?” 

To that, he nods. “Yea.” He looks at her. “Are you worried about your dad?”   
She nods. “Every day.”   
“You think…” He stops. He cannot voice this concern.   
“Think what?” She presses.   
He frowns. “That there’s something else going on here?” 

“Like what?”   
“Like… I don’t know. They took Wade away. They took your dad. We haven’t seen them. The only way we’re getting information is through Cornelius….”   
“You think the doctor could be up to something… illegal?” She frowns too. 

“They’re taking a lot of my blood,” he says. “And fluids. What do they need all of this for?” 

“To save Wade.” she says gently. 

“Yea- okay- but do they really need ALL of it?” 

“They are taking more than they should.” she admits. 

“And they want to run x-rays now.” he presses. “They can’t do that. It won’t help Wade at all.” 

“They want to run x-rays?” she sounds shocked.   
She knows about his ‘secret’. His claws. He really doesn’t think the good doctor should know about them, however.   
“Would your…. show up in an x-ray?” She asks, pointing to his hands.   
He brings his hand to his chest, slowly extending one of the claws.   
it takes a lot of effort to focus on only using one. Some days it almost seems impossible. Some days his powers, in general, seem impossible. He’s grateful for them- he knows they’ll get him out of trouble. But his mom.. .she always said that if people knew about them they’d take interest in ways he wasn’t necessarily going to like. And now he’s surrounded by doctors. Surrounded by doctors and unable to leave. And.. now they want x-rays. 

“I don't know.” He retracts the claw. “I really don’t.” 

“Maybe it’s just… to make sure your organs are working fine after all the fluids they’ve taken.” Itsu offers. Logan takes that into consideration. It could very well be something like that. .. But the doctor hasn’t really expressed concern for Logan or his well being during this process. He just wants fluids. Fluids and blood and tissue in some cases. He doesn't exactly know when they took that- but they said they got some. 

“Maybe.” She leans heavier into his chest. “Don’t worry more than you have to, Logan,” Itsu says gently. “It’s not good for you.” 

He nods. “You’re right.”   
“Of course I’m right.” Itsu smiles. “I’m always right. You know this.” 

“Oh, excuse me.” he teases. “Miss ‘i’m always right except for when I’m terribly wrong and Logan has to fix everything’.” She punches his shoulder. “I do not sound like that.”   
“No, you’ve got a cute accent when you say it.” 

“Cute.” She snorts before covering her mouth and nose quickly. 

“Oh my god that was adorable.” Logan looks at her red face.   
“Don't look at me!” She complains.   
“What? That was adorable.” he teases. 

Itsu smiles and removes her hands .”If you say so.”   
“I do say so.”   
They’re quiet for a few moments before his stomach makes a loud gurgling noise. 

“I didn’t finish that bag of chips at lunch.” he says, looking down. 

“You’re hungry?” she infers. 

He nods. “Think you could go get them for me? They’re on the floor by the door.”   
Itsu nods and slowly gets to her feet, padding over to the discarded bag of Lays potato chips and picking them up. 

“Hmm.” She ponders.   
“What’s ‘hmm’?” He questions. 

“You get Lays.”   
“And?” 

“I get Pringles. Every two days, I got a sleeve of Pringles.” 

He frowns. “And you’ve been holding out??” He breaks into a grin.   
She returns his smile. “You’re more than welcome to them. I’m just wondering why I’m getting more food than you are.” 

He shrugs. “Maybe it’s your dad?” 

Itsu stands perfectly still, looking at the chips in hand. “Maybe.” She looks up with a smile “I didn’t even think of it like that.”   
Logan likes that look of hope on her face. “See? Not so bad.” 

She makes her way back over to him, sitting on the edge of the cot and passing Logan the chips.   
They’re quiet as Logan opens the bag and starts to eat. 

“You’re gonna share those Pringles, though- right?” He questions with a full mouth.   
Itsu grins. “Yes, Logan. I will share the Pringles.”   
He nods.   
Another day spent in this odd limbo. On one hand- he’s with her. ON the other- he’s here. He doesn’t know which one to think of at the moment, so he actively decides to focus on neither. 

He watches her smile and talk, moving her hands around as she does so, and thinks of how perfect she is. How a million other girls could even begin to hold a candle to her. How he feels he’d do anything to make her happy.   
That thought brings both a warm fuzzy feeling and a feeling of dread. What happens if they move him from here? What happens if she can’t go with him? What happens if he has to leave without her? 

He has to push those thoughts away as well. For now, he is here. For now, she is here.   
And as long as they’re together - well that’s all he can ask for.


	8. Itsu and the guards, the gun, the removal of the boy, the disappointment of her father, and the cell block

Itsu’s days have become increasingly wonderful.   
With Logan around her, her father sending her food, and the hopes of getting out of here and leaving with Logan- she’s become quite cheerful. 

Logan turned 18 three days ago, by her calculations.   
The day went by without a fuss.   
He didn’t really seem to care that he’d reached ‘adulthood’.   
She figured it’s because mentally he reached it long before now. He’s older than he looks- Logan is. 

She thought, given their previous conversations on the subject- he’d be a little... pushy.   
Antsy is the right word. The boy she lost her innocence to surely was.   
Logan, however, was not.   
It’s one of the things she loves about him. 

She pauses. Loves. She’s gone from liking… to extreme liking… to something else.   
Her father would chide her on how ‘fast’ she’s moving. But it’s been a month now. A month in extremely cramped quarters. 

She marked the time down that morning, trying to pick a time where she knew they would be uninterrupted. 

Between 9 pm when they bring the evening meal and 1 am when they stop and check at the door. They rarely actually come into the living quarters, however when they do this check. They trust the children to be asleep. Like good guests. 

She felt that last night she could finally sleep in the bed with him- since he was no longer underage. She thought that alone would lead to some.. how did he put it? “Fooling Around”. 

However, they’d taken a lot of spinal fluid from him and he was tired. 

She didn’t mind waiting. 

In fact, she did just that. She waited outside of his room while he was taking a shower. With his senses, she knew that he knew she was here.   
When he walked out to retrieve his clothing, she was waiting, naked on the bed.   
His face was priceless.   
Shocked- is a word to describe it. 

He took his time, however. Obviously used to romancing females.   
She tries not to think too much of that. Of course, they led different lives before coming here.   
They didn’t ‘fuck’. They made love. It was all she wanted it to be. More so. In previous experiences, she’d never been able to climax. Somehow- he knew how to get her there. WHen she asked where he learned to …well fuck… he said he slept with his older neighbor. A woman his mother’s age who taught him all he knows. 

She’s definitely sure that that was illegal, but he just smiles when she points it out. 

She sits up on his bed, letting the thin sheet pool around her waist.   
He stays asleep- passed out from another bloodletting session. 

Itsu observes him for a moment. He’s exhausted. They’re taking so much from him… it’s making her worry. Not that she would tell him that least it make him worry as well.   
She knows he’s healing, of course. He always does.   
But she’s frightened that he’ll stop healing if they keep pushing him. She knows this is unfounded. And that mutant powers probably don’t work that way….. but she worries all the same. 

“Whatcha thinking about?” he asks lazily, making her jump a little.   
He probably heard her move. He’s an extremely light sleeper. 

“I was wondering if you’d like your sheet back,” she says in a playful, yet tired tone.   
Logan yawns. “I was gonna let you keep it.” 

“Kind of you.” She lays back down into his waiting arms, smiling to herself. “They’ll be bringing the food soon,” she says. 

“So?” he groans. “Like they’re going to care if you’re in here.”   
Itsu smiles. “They may not- but my father most definitely will. If news got back to him…”   
Logan sighs. “Okay. You’re right.” 

“Come sit with me in the hallway?” she asks. 

Logan nods, head still on this pillow.   
She stands to her feet and dresses back into her sweatpants and tank top. She’s left her bra in her room, so hopefully, the guards won’t notice. It’s not like she’s particularly large chested, after all.   
She pads out into the hallway and takes a seat on the yellow carpet, toying with some of the loose threads while she waits. Logan trods out a few minutes later, sitting down with a thud. 

“Fuck it’s bright out here,” he complains.   
“They changed the bulbs while you were away today,” she informs. 

“Nice of them.” he leans over and kisses her bare shoulder. “Are you sure you want to be out here?” he says in a whisper. 

“Yes.” She whispers back, smiling. 

“Are you sure you’re sure?” He grins. 

“I’m sure I’m sure.” She returns his grin.   
Since his birthday they’ve lain together all of ten times- as much as they possibly could. They admit there’s some sort of.. magnetic pull- in their words- towards each other. One they cannot bring themselves to fight. One they simply do not want to fight. 

So they sleep together in every sense of the word. Each time being as careful as teenagers without a condom can be. She doesn’t really think she’ll be able to get pregnant like this. He’s very sure that there’s no seed inside her.   
Plus it takes so much for a woman to conceive. She saw her aunt try for many years before it happened. All in all, Itsu is not worried. Logan doesn’t seem to be bothered either- and it puts her more at ease.   
If he’s not worried and she’s not worried it seems like something that’s not going to be an issue.   
Of course, the two are teenagers. And when it comes to such matters, can be a little … thoughtless. She knows this and puts a little extra thought into it… but then he kisses this one spot on her neck and she goes limp. 

He kisses her shoulder again, moving up to said spot on her neck. 

She closes her eyes and inhales deeply. 

She goes to return the favor just as the doors open- stopping her. 

Instead of usual guards- who are unarmed- four heavily armed, heavily suited up, guards enter the hallway, marching towards them. 

“The fuck?” Logan says quietly. “What’s this?” 

The first man stops a few feet away from them and aims the gun, standing completely still. “What the hell are you doing??” Logan growls.   
Itsu freezes. She doesn’t know what to do. 

The gun moves slightly, not towards Logan but towards her. 

“What are you doing?” The boy repeats. 

“Don’t move.” The man finally says. His voice is harsh and gruff. He sounds like he’s used to giving orders. “Unless you want to see how pretty her brains look splattered on that wall.” 

More so, he sounds like he’s used to having his orders taken. 

Itsu doesn't know what’s going on, and to be honest she’s so frightened that she doesn’t want to know. She wants this to be some horrible nightmare. 

In the back her mind she’s thinking that whatever is about to happen is solely her fault. She thinks that this has got to do something with them sleeping together.   
A small worry flashes through her mind that they calculated the days wrong and that he’s still seventeen. Surely they can overlook that if it was a mistake. Their calculations would only be off by a few days, after all. 

“I don’t know what you want,” she says, “but I am unarmed and human. There is no need for a gun. I am defenseless.”

“Like hell, she is,” Logan growls. “Put the gun down or I’ll make you.” 

“Logan.” She whispers. “Maybe not the best time to upset him.” 

“They can’t barge in here and hold you at gunpoint!” He turns to her. “You’ve done nothing wrong!” 

She then wonders if this could have something to do with her father. Maybe some kind of harm has come to him…. she worries for his safety more than her own at this moment. 

“Is my father okay?” She asks. “Is this something to do with him? I don't know anything about his work- if that’s what you’re looking for. Holding me at gunpoint will solve nothing.” 

“Shut it.” The man growls. “Both of you.” He looks back towards the door as Dr. Cornelius enters the wing. 

“Doctor!” She cries. “Can you please tell these men-“ 

“My dear child.” He interrupts. “I think it’s best you stay silent.” This level of… coldness is never reserved for her.   
“But Doctor-“ “Do you not understand the word ‘silent’. An adjective. Meaning to make no sound.” 

“I know what silent means.” She is more than offended at his comment. 

“Oh good.” The man says crisply. “Then you’ll know to act accordingly.” he crosses his arms and stands behind his guards. “Well, well, well. You two have been busy.” 

They know. A moment of fear flashes through her mind. Hot and red. 

“If you’re here to bust our asses for-“ “I’m not here to ‘bust your asses’ for anything.” The man growls, cutting off Logan’s words. 

“Then what do you want?” Logan growls.   
“The truth.” The man says simply.   
“The truth?” Itsu questions.   
In what way have they been dishonest? 

“What would we have done to be dishonest?” She has to know. “We’ve been-“ “Not you- girl. Your intentions and motives are almost painfully simple and clear.” He points to Logan. “Him. He’s been dishonest and needs to answer for his actions post haste.” He drops his hand. “You’ll find I have very little patience for fools or follies.”   
“I don't know what you’re talking about.” Logan looks down at the carpet. 

He nods. “I have been more than hospitable and my kindness is met with lies.” He shakes his head. “And here’s another.” 

“We really don’t know what you’re talking about .” Itsu tries to interrupt. 

“Not you- you, fool. I’ve already told you to whom I’m referring.” He points. “He has been a dishonest little snake.” 

“If you’re ‘referring’ to me, maybe you ought to point that gun in a different direction,” Logan growls. 

“Is that a threat? Surely you have no means of hurting myself or my guards…. unless….” 

“Unless what?” He snaps. She knows exactly what they're talking about. Or… she thinks she does. She can almost sense that Logan is thinking the same thing. She wishes this away as hard as she can. 

“Logan.” The man says coldly. “Unless you are honest with me- I will have this fine gentleman here,” He taps the man with the gun, “ blow her pretty little brains out.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he insists.   
“Pity. Truly. She’s a beautiful girl. She would have made a fine woman.” He taps the man shoulders. “On the count of three then?” 

Itsu’s entire body goes rigid. 

Usually, there would be a fight or flight response- but she doesn’t seem to have it. 

“One.” Logan looks at her, eyes wide. 

“Two.” 

“Thr-“ “Wait!” Logan stands to his feet, putting himself between the gun and Itsu. She feels a sense of security with him there though she doesn’t relish the idea of him taking a bullet. “Wait!” 

“Hmm?”   
The man with the rifle lowers it. 

“Don’t shoot her. Who does that?”   
She raises to her feet, standing behind him. A smarter girl would have run into one of the vacant rooms and let Logan handle them on his own.   
Obviously, they’re here about his other powers. Something must have shown on the millions of X-rays they’ve run.   
She just can’t leave him. Even if it is for her own safety. 

“I do that.” The man smiles. “Now, tell me. What have you been hiding from us?” 

“How do you know i”m hiding something from you at all?” Logan counters. 

“Wade-“ “Wade is talking??” He presses, taking a step forward.   
Itsu wishes he’d be more careful, especially with how close he’s moved to that gun.   
On the topic of that gun, she can't believe the doctor would order this soldier to shoot her. She doesn’t have a clue what’s going on anymore. 

“If you can withhold information from me, I don’t think it would surprise you to learn that I can withhold information from you.” The man says crisply. 

Itsu doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t know how to comfort Logan in the slightest. 

“You didn’t even tell me he was alive!” 

“I didn’t tell you he was dead.” The man says with a raised eyebrow. “That’s all the information you needed to come to your own conclusions.” 

“Where is he?” Logan growls. “We’re going home.” 

The doctor leans against the wall, shaking his head. “Child, really. I thought you were a smart boy.” 

Itsu doesn’t like the way this conversation is going- not in the slightest. 

“What are you talking about?” She interjects. 

The man looks over Logan to her. 

“And you.” He smirks. “What would your father say if he knew what you were up to down here? Have you been sleeping with all the men? Women? How many people have you lain with.” 

“It’s not like that!” She defends. 

“Then what is it like, pray tell? What will your father say when he learns of his innocent daughter whoring herself to whatever mutant scum happens to come her way?” 

“Mutant… scum?” Things are coming to her mind that she doesn’t want to believe.   
He points. “Him. His kind. People who aren’t like us.” 

“Is that… what all these people have been?” She gasps. “What are you doing with them? Where do they go when they leave here?”   
“They meet a higher calling.” The man spits. “One you could very well meet yourself if you’re not careful.” 

“Leave her out of it,” Logan growls. “We’re leaving. Me, Wade, and Itsu. You can’t hold us here. We don't want to meet any of your ‘higher calling’ bullshit.” 

The man shakes his head again. “Logan, honestly child- this is painful to watch. I sincerely thought you’d figured this out by now.” 

“Figured what out?” He falters in his resolve, Itsu hates to see it. 

“You can’t leave here.” The man smirks. “None of you can.” 

“I want to talk to my father,” Itsu demands, not liking the words of this man. “And you will.” The man assures. “Right after we deal with the mutant.” 

“What do you mean?” Logan growls. “What do you mean we can’t leave?” 

“You’ve yet to be given your purpose.” The man smirks. 

“We don’t want you to give us a purpose,” he says. “Just let us go home.” 

“I can’t do that.” The man says. “If you could just leave, we wouldn’t have any operatives left. I know it’s grueling at first… but with the right modeling and the right coding, you won’t feel a thing we don’t want you to.” 

“What the fuck are you talking about??” he demands. “Weapons, Logan. We make weapons here. Weapons for governments to protect themselves.” 

“What’s that got to do with any of us?” 

The man groans. “You are really dense,” he says. “I won’t waste time in explaining this to you.” 

“Explaining WHAT to me??” Logan yells.   
The man eyes him. “Angry? You should be. Wade said you had a temper.”   
“Where is he???” 

Itsu’s heart is breaking. Weapons? They turn people into weapons? Is that where all her comrades have gone? The young women. The older men? The boy she thought she saw??

“I would be happy to take you to him.” The man says almost pleasantly. “He’s had… an interesting month. I’m sure seeing you would be a great… motivator.” 

“Motivator?” 

“Wade is one of my prized possessions at the moment.” The man informs. “He’s a fighter. That’s thanks to you- Logan. Your DNA saved his life.” 

That’s wonderful news under the right circumstances. Itsu fears that now is not the right time to celebrate. 

“It worked?” Logan asks.   
“Of course it worked.” The man scoffs. “I told you it would.” he straightens himself up. “Now. Show me what you’ve been hiding. If we thought you had use other than healing, we would have come for you long before now. We keep our healers painfully oblivious, you see. You could have gone years without seeing the outside of this hallway.” 

Logan stands in silence, looking at the man’s feet. “I’m not hiding anything.”   
“Show me,” he repeats. 

“No,” Logan says. “I want to go home. I want all of us to go home.”   
“You can’t go home.” The man spits. “Your home is here now.” 

Itsu takes a step forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay.” She whispers. “We can take them.” 

“I will leave here,” he says lowly, shushing her.   
“When I say you can.” The man smiles. “For an allotted period of time. An average mission runs from two days to three weeks. Of course, you’ll learn that soon enough.” 

“I’m leaving,” Logan repeats. “You don't have the authority to keep me here.” 

“Child here- I am the authority. I am god. You live- you breathe- by my mercy. And it’s not just you. You will do as I say of I will hurt her,” He points to Itsu. “I will hurt Wade. I will go and round up everyone you have ever loved and hurt them. Your mother for instances? A single mother with no great income and a missing child could easily fall into an accident. A suicide. Your mother’s had such a hard life already-“   
“Shut up,” he growls. 

“A gunshot-“ 

“You don’t have the power.” He spits.   
“I’m authorized by your government.” The man laughs. “My reach is infinite.” 

“Why would you even want us?” 

“”Us”?” The man laughs. “There is no ‘us’. I wanted YOU. Your friend was just to sweeten the pot. The fact that it worked and he could actually be of use was just an added bonus.” 

“You’re using him as-“ “Oh yes. He’s getting quite good.” The man nods. “A little… unhinged. Our programs can do that, you’ll find. You know the how the saying goes, though… “If you want to make and omelet…”   
“What have you done to him?” Logan’s voice is shaking.   
He’s scared.   
Itsu hates it. She wishes with everything in her that this is just a bad dream.   
Every second that the scene drags on- she’s painfully aware that it is not. 

Why hasn’t he just attacked them? 

“Nothing less than I plan to do to you, I assure you.” 

Itsu sees him tense… she thinks she can see the doctors game plan. 

“He’s trying to antagonize you.” She whispers. “Don’t let him.” 

“I’ve been told,” The man drawls. “That mutant powers, specifically those held in teenagers, activate when the person is under stress.” 

Itsu squeezes his shoulder. 

“So let me tell you what we’re going to do. You’re going to show me your powers that you’ve hidden away or I’m going to beat the everloving shit out of your little girlfriend. Then, when I’m done with that if you’re still not cooperative we’ll go get your little friend and beat the shit out of him. Then if you’re STILL not cooperative, we’ll go get your mother. And so on and so forth.” 

“This is insane.” Logan scoffs. “Just let us go! I don’t know how to do anything you’re probably thinking I do.” 

“But you can hunt.” The man lifts a finger. “That’s a great start.”   
“How did you know-“ “Wade has been under a lot of duress as you can imagine. He’ s let us know all sorts of things.” 

“You..tortured him??” Logan is quickly growing angry. “No.” Itsu holds him back. “No- that’s what he wants!” 

“Oh I’m gonna give him what he wants.” he growls. 

“Logan- don’t,” Itsu begs. “Please.” 

“Would it help you to know that originally put up a brave front?” The man smirks. 

“Shut up.” Logan glares at him. 

“We had to test his new found powers- you see.” The man says with a nod. “He’s a bit of a pain, as I’m sure you know. My team .. .well…. when a subject is disobedient and obstinate they have to be dealt with the only way they know how.”   
“Shut up!” 

Itsu knows this is now a losing battle. She can’t hold him back- and honestly, she’s not sure if she wants to. If they really did do that to his friend- if they really did do it to all of the people she’s met- why should they get to walk away unscratched? 

“Wade is such a.., willful boy. I like willful people. There is a great art in breaking them down. As your friend has learned- I’m sure.” “Shut up!” Logan extends his claws and lunges at the man. He’s quickly stopped by the guards and pinned to the floor. He struggles, slashing at their ankles, but hitting nothing.   
“Get off of him!” Itsu moves to push them off but is stopped by a guard with a free hand.   
“Watch it!” He snarls.   
“Let go of him!” She kicks the man as hard as she can in the shins- leading him to bring the butt of the rifle down on her shoulder. She yelps loudly.   
“Itsu?” Logan’s voice is strained. 

“My lord.” The man bends down, observing where they have the boy pressed to the floor. “It’s perfect.” He nudges one set of claws with his shoe. “Imagine the damage….” he looks at the boy, purposefully catching his eye. “Things just got a whole lot more interesting.” He smirks. 

Logan groans from the floor. 

“He’s a little reckless…. fighting is going to need a lot of work…” The Doctor mutters to himself, “Not much muscle mass on him….”   
Itsu feels sick to her stomach.   
“Why are you doing this?” She asks, taking a step forward only to be stopped by the guard raising his gun again.   
“One move bitch.” He warns. 

“Let him go!” 

When the boy struggles, he’s bashed over the head with the butt of one of the rifles- rendering unconscious. 

Whatever happens now is firmly on Itsu’s shoulders. “Nothing short of perfection.” The man says with a nod. “Angry. Bull-headed. Deadly…. perfect. Just what we were hoping for- right here in our possession.” The man smiles proudly. “It’ll be another Creed- I can feel it.” He turns to his guards. “Take him away.” 

Away? Away where? Itsu moves forward - again only to be stopped by the gun. 

“You’re staying here.” The man says coldly. “Until your father decides what's to be done about you.” 

“My-“ “He’ll definitely want to know about your interactions with the boy. A mutant boy- at that.” 

“Don’t tell him, please.” She begs. “You do not understand-“ “Oh I understand perfectly.” The man seethes. “You, my dear, have let yourself be penetrated by the enemy. Mutants are a plague upon humanity. They’re genetic deformities. And you- you, this beautiful, normal, human girl have let yourself be defiled by one.” 

“They are not ‘genetic deformities’,” Itsu growls. “They’re people. Like you- like me.”   
“We are nothing alike.” The man says coldly. “Stay put.” 

“I will do no such thing.” she seethes. “You’ll have to shoot me.”   
She walks up to the barrel of the gun. “Pull the trigger or let me pass,” she says coldly.   
THe man looks thrown. 

“Now, now.” Cornelius crosses his arms. “Don’t do anything rash.” 

“Let him go,” she demands. “Let his friend go. Let me go. You have no right to hold us against our will.” 

“Mutants don’t have rights in general.” he cooly. “They're not people.” 

“How can you say that?” she asks, voice higher than she means it to be. “Look at him! he’s a normal boy!” 

Well, man now- she guesses. 

“Ah,” The doctor raises a finger, “Therein lies the danger. He wants you to think he’s a normal boy. He wants you to believe he’s harmless. But look- child. Look with your eyes. He’s dangerous. He has weapons built into his person-““That he wouldn’t have used to hurt anyone!” she defends. 

“But he’s already hurt someone.” The man smiles. “It seems your little boyfriend had an accident a few years back. One involving his father. Stabbed him through the chest. And a man, his mother’s romantic interest- he stabbed him too. It seems he’s more dangerous than he would have you believe.” 

Itsu doesn’t care what he’s done. They’ve actually talked about those instances. Logan was justified and feels rightly ashamed of what happened. 

She doesn't fault him. 

“I know he wouldn’t hurt me… or anyone for that matter,” she growls. 

“You do- do you? That’s something you know?” He smirks. “If you’d had a different attitude, your own mother would be alive- wouldn’t she?” 

Itsu feels her blood freeze. 

“If you’d stayed away from mutants…. mommy would be alive. And you and your father wouldn't even be here.” 

“I want to see my father.” She demands. “I’ll not be talked to like this.” 

“I’ve told you- you’ll see him.” The man crosses his arms and looks at the downed mutant. “Take him to the lab.” 

“Lab?” she’s horrified. “What lab?” 

“We need to see what he can do. Tests are required.” The man waves her worries away with a hand. 

“You can’t take him.” She pushes past the man with the gun and get’s in the doctor’s face. “It isn’t legal.”   
Abraham smiles. She’s so close to him that she can smell his aftershave. His eyes seem to dance with some sort of glee she doesn’t understand. “Girl,” He says with a smirk. “You'll go and sit down now.”   
“Make me,” she growls. 

“If you insist.” The man very suddenly takes both hands and shoves her to the ground, causing her hit her head on the carpet covered concrete. 

A groan escapes her lips. 

“Take the boy.” He says to his guards. “I’ll take care of the girl.”   
The soldiers nod and remove Logan from the floor, jerking him to his feet and half dragging him to the door.   
“You can’t keep us here.” she groans from the floor. “We won’t let you.” 

“Your usefulness is one you are not aware of.” The doctor says crisply, bending at the waist to be closer to her downed form. “You are important in ways that you have yet to figure out.” 

“I will not be used by you.” She rises to her hands and knees, starting to get to her feet.   
The larger man pushes her back down with great force. “I really hoped we could house you here.” He says mockingly. “I really did. At least to give you the illusion of freedom. It seems, however, that you’ve let a boy- a boy- come between you and your sensibilities.” 

“I wouldn’t let you house me if you paid me.” She spits at his feet.   
“Dear, you will be housed.” he corrects. “But not here. Somewhere.. more…. supervised.” He nods. “Yes, that’s the word I’m looking for. You require supervision.” 

“I require my freedom.” She presses, taking a moment to log her various injuries from this conversation. “After some reconditioning.. perhaps.” He says with a nod. “A little… personality alignment… if you will.”   
“You will align nothing.” She tries to get to her feet a second time and is knocked back harder than the first.   
“You will be taken to the cellblock,” he informs her. “Where you will stay not as a guest- but as a prisoner. Maybe you can convince your father to speak on your behalf… maybe you can’t- either way- you will be detained.”   
She groans from the floor. “I hope you enjoyed your time here.” he mocks. “You’ll find your new housing much less hospitable.” 

he grabs her roughly by the arm, twisting it behind her back and shoving her in front of him. He pushes her out of the cell block and out into the cement lined building. 

Rows and rows doors with numbers and letters on plaques beside them. They walk for a good three minutes until they reach a lower floor. Somewhere dark and damp.   
Here, there are rows of people. People crying. People fighting. People in pain. 

“Maybe, when you’ve rethought your actions today,” The man says in her ear, opening one of the large doors, “You’ll be worthy of your housing unit again.” He gives her a shove, landing her face first on the concrete as he closes the heavy door.   
The door is solid, but the walls are bars. She can easily see out of them. She can also see that there will be no privacy. 

Every thought she can now spare is put into how she can escape. She doesn’t know how to find Logan… or even where to start looking… but she figures if she can find her father- he can help her.   
he is her father after all. And she’s always been his little girl. His gem. The apple of his eye.   
She hopes that will save her.   
She looks around her very small compartment and realizes two things- no bed and no toilet. 

“Yea.” A voice says, making her jump. She sees the compartment adjacent to hers houses a girl, abut her age. “Not really five-star accommodations- huh?” 

Itsu stiffly sits on the floor. “No.”   
“Where’d they get you from?” The girl sounds softer than before.   
“A housing unit.” she looks down at her lap. 

“Hmm. I was kidnapped…. about a year ago.” The girl informs. “Right from school.” 

“That’s awful!”   
The girl nods.   
Itsu looks at her closely, taking in her beyond pale complexion. “You’re-“ “A mutant? One of the best.” The girl smiles. “I’m guessing you’re not?” 

Itsu shakes her head. “No… my father works here.”   
The girl shakes her short hair out of her eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that.”   
Itsu looks closer and sees a peculiar marking on the girls face. She doesn’t mean to stare but-   
“They call me Domino.” The girl says with a small laugh. “Cause of the eye.”   
“Domino?” “Yup.” The girls are silent. “And you are?” Domino asks after a moment.   
“Itsu.” She offers her hand through the bars. It’s just slender enough to fit. “Nice to meet you.” 

“Likewise.” The girls are quiet again. “And chance you brought a blanket or something?” 

“Uh… no.”   
“Shit.”   
Itsu isn’t sure what to make of her new friend. 

“What do you do here?” She asks. 

“Me? I’m an ‘opperative’. There was a mix up in the system and I ended up here. It happens every so often… usually when I need a break.” 

“They do it on purpose?” 

Domino shakes her head. “I’m just lucky.” 

“How many times has it happened?”   
“Three.” Domino smiles. “Like I said, I’m just lucky.”   
Itsu nods, looking out of the bars to the cell block. “I could use some luck right about now.” 

“Can’t we all!” Someone from down the rows calls.   
“Amen.” Someone else pipes in. 

Itsu looks around carefully, looking for signs of weakness and possible escape routes. 

Sadly, she finds none. 

Each second that goes by brings more dread into her mind and heart. She has no clue what’s happened.. .and in such a small period of time, as well. She didn't know before now that things could go so bad so quickly. The thought makes her sick to her stomach.   
She sits with her back to the bars of one cell and facing Domino’s. “What happens next?” She asks out loud. More to herself than anyone else- but it’s heard. 

“You wait,” Domino says. “That’s what we’re doing.” 

Itsu nods.   
She waited before. She supposes she can wait again.   
Something about her feels just the tiniest bit …. off. She can’t really place it. 

She lays back against the bars and tries to sort it out- but nothing comes to mind.   
Finally, she just closes her eyes and drifts into an uneasy sleep.


End file.
